Resources for General Health Information

by Emily Matthews, guest blogger 

The digital age has transformed healthcare information. Now, you can now receive health information at Internet speed and Internet scale. The result: a great opportunity for patient education. But there’s also an abundance of fanciful or just plain inaccurate information that can be overwhelming and confusing. How can you navigate it all?

Of course, it's important to still look to a licensed physician to treat your medical problems. But when you’ve got a case of the sniffles and just want to know how to decongest or how it might affect your diabetes care, where can you go on the web for the best health advice without worrying about becoming a cybercondriac? Here are a few sites that provide reliable information to users from some of the best professional health facilities and organizations.

Dirline

Dirline is the website for the National Library of Medicine, run by the U.S. Department of Health. This site puts you in touch with the latest research available online from PhD and master's degree programs across the U.S. in all areas of medicine. In order to get the most out of Dirline, you should have a specific health condition in mind. Dirline can deliver the latest in clinical tests and recent developments in treatment. 

MedlinePlus

Overseen by the National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus is also run with U.S. government support. This site includes both general and advanced health information on treatments and disease. Information provided includes health news, a medical dictionary, briefings on major diseases, information on health problems based on sex and age and facts about on-going clinical trials. Unlike Dirline, you don't need to start with a formal disease in mind. This is a brilliant site for both lay people and professionals to locate facts about any health condition. 

Healthfinder

Set up as a general guide to all new health events, Healthfinder also explains most disease conditions. You can find the latest health news and in-depth explanations. What is the status of this year's flu shots? Where did that infected food come from? Users who pursue this site can easily discern any health risks to their families. The site also provides contacts to non-profit groups that support an assortment of health conditions, and is one of the few sites in Spanish as well English. 

WebMd

One of the most popular health web sites, WebMD provides great descriptions of diseases and their treatment. WebMd covers treatments, prognoses, medications, and side effects. There is a lively social section with both support groups and discussion forums. WebMd gives its members the opportunity for discussion with specialists on various disease topics. Membership is free to users, but required to access the site. 

Symptom Checker

Provided by the Mayo Clinic, Symptom Checker does exactly as advertises: provides an interface for users to check their assorted symptoms for possible diagnoses. Users select from a chart of common symptoms and the web site directs the user to a list of causes. The site links users to other Mayo Clinic websites, as well as to medical professionals or those who want more than just a general knowledge of a condition.

CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site  has up-to-date information on flare ups of various diseases and symptoms. Here you can find out about the swine flu or that food borne infection. Since the CDC is the first to report many of these items, what better source to use? Other web sites obtain their facts from the CDC. Users are ahead of the game by using this site. CDC also has information a variety of topics which change monthly. The site also provides connections to many other professional health agencies.


Using the web sites listed above will provide the latest in health news and provide facts you can rely on. Whether you are looking for the reason for symptoms, the status of a health problem, options for medical treatment or any other health problem, one of these sites likely has your answer. Along with your doctor, they are an excellent source for medical information.

Emily Matthews is currently applying to masters degree programs across the U.S., and loves to read about new research into health care, gender issues, and literature. She lives and writes in Seattle, Wash.