Less Is More

Abstract

This column is an overview of the Household Products Database, a free resource available online from the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Search strategies, overall layout, and supportive information are detailed. The database covers products commonly found in or around the home, including cosmetics, cleaning substances, and other maintenance items.     

Free Online Access to Medical Information

Abstract

The Internet has become a valuable resource for providing information to the public on a variety of subjects, especially public health. Lay users everywhere have access to free medical information if they know where to look and understand how to use the different tools they discover. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has made its medical database, MEDLINE, available for anyone with Internet access. The NLM offers two different MEDLINE interfaces for free searching, and a variety of other Web sites also provide free access to MEDLINE. This article discusses several of these free MEDLINE Web interfaces.     

美国国立医学图书馆灾害医学信息服务、产品及经验借鉴

分析美国国立医学图书馆（National Library of Medicine：NLM）的灾害医学信息服务机制及其可持续发展战略对NLM发展的影响,介绍了辐射事故医学管理网站（the Radiation Event Medical Management Web site（REMM）、应急救援信息系统Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders（WISER）和MedlinePlus 3种重要的灾害救援信息服务产品和应急准备资源。提出我国医学图书馆应根据公众健康社会信息需求,借鉴NLM的经验,有计划地系统地开展灾害医学信息服务及信息产品的开发。     

MedlinePlus Goes Local in NC

ABSTRACT

NC Health Info is a collection of online North Carolina-based health services Web sites that links seamlessly with health information on MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine's consumer health information Web site. NC Health Info is the result of a pilot study to define the components involved in creating such a system, and serves as a model to be used by other states wishing to connect their own collections of health services with MedlinePlus. This paper addresses the seven major challenges faced during development and the tactics used to overcome those challenges.     

From Text to Hypertext

ABSTRACT

HIV/AIDS is a significant health issue for which consumers need access to current and accurate information. Consumers need information on aspects of HIV/AIDS, including transmission, risk, and treatment, as well as methods of obtaining HIV/AIDS services in their area. This paper describes a project that utilizes a Web site to provide consumers with this information. The Web site lists Northwest Ohio HIV/AIDS service providers, resources available through the Medical College of Ohio's Mulford Library, and provides links to authoritative, high-quality Web sites that deal with HIV and AIDS.     

Web Resources for Information About Providers and Facilities

Abstract

Health care consumers often need information about the quality of health services provided by specific facilities and health professionals. A growing number of Web sites are meeting consumers' needs for quality-related information. These sites offer a wide array of information, ranging from traditional directory information to comparative data and records of personal experiences. This paper provides a selective review of Web sites that offer information on the quality of health services delivered by specific physicians and facilities in the United States.     

Finding Information About Men's Health on the Internet

Summary

It's a well-known fact that men are less likely than women to seek health care. Men tend to wait as long as possible to see a doctor about a health problem, making early diagnosis of a disease difficult if not impossible. When one looks at the statistics related to men's health, the apparent aversion to seeking health care is disconcerting. Given the fact that men seem to be more private about their illnesses, the Internet provides an excellent place for them to seek health care information. A search of “men's health” finds an overwhelming number of sites on the Internet. This article provides a highly selected list of Web sites intended as a starting place for finding information about men's health on the Internet.     

FROM THE EDITORS

Abstract

Better informed and educated consumers can improve the patient/health care professional communication process and allow full participation in decision making about one's own health. Web sites have become the popular means of obtaining consumer health information. Consumers, however, face the task of selecting from thousands of choices over the World Wide Web (WWW). The purpose of this article is to collect quality WWW sites focusing on Alzheimer's disease. Accepted evaluation criteria were used to select each WWW site. These selected Web sites are provided to help increase the users' awareness of Alzheimer's disease and to help consumers understand what to expect and where to find information. All Web sites included are for informational and educational purposes only. They will never replace visits to physicians. Consumers and patients will always have to consult with physicians and other health professionals for their health care.     

CONSUMER NET BYTES

Abstract

The incidence of obesity has soared in recent years, as has the availability of online health information targeting this problem. This article identifies reliable Internet resources for health information about weight management for the overweight and obese. These sources have been evaluated as being useful for both consumers and health care professionals. The reviewed Web sites fall into three categories: federal government Web sites, non-profit organization Web sites, and commercial Web sites.     

Web-based resources for retrieving health policy information: NLM and beyond

This paper identifies Web-based resources of interest to the health policy community. Both information useful for developing health policy and information about existing health policy are included. Resources described are classified into three major categories: traditional and grey literature, statistical and epidemiological data, and legal and legislative material. National Library of Medicine (NLM) resources include MEDLINE, DIRLINE, HealthSTAR, HSRProj, and HSTAT. In addition, NLM's National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR) has a Web page (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nichsr/nichsr.html) that provides an extensive listing of health-policy-related Web sites. Some of the other resources highlighted include those available from the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Committee for Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS), and the Library of Congress.     

Consumer Resources for Cancer on the World-Wide Web

Abstract

There is now a staggering amount of consumer health information relating to cancer available and accessible on the World-Wide Web (WWW or Web). The sheer quantity of information can sometimes make it difficult to locate the best sites for one's needs. The purpose of this article is to point out some of the more useful sites for obtaining cancer information and to highlight their special features. The WWW cancer resources are grouped into five sections: I. Major Sites; II. Sites for Specific Types of Cancer; III. Other Useful Sites; IV. Guides; and V. Collections.     

Meeting information needs in health policy and public health: Priorities for the national library of medicine and the national network of libraries of medicine

Those seeking information in health policy and public health are not as well served as those seeking clinical information. Problems inhibiting access to health policy and public health information include the heterogeneity of professionals seeking the information, the distribution of relevant information across disciplines and information sources, scarcity of synthesized information useful to practitioners, lack of awareness of available services or training in their use, and lack of access to information technology or to knowledgeable librarians and information specialists. Since 1990, the National Library of Medicine and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine have been working to enhance information services in health policy and public health through expanding the coverage of the NLM collection, building new databases, and engaging in targeted outreach and training initiatives directed toward segments of the health policy and public health communities. Progress has been made, but more remains to be done. Recommendations arising from the meeting,Accessing Useful Information: Challenges in Health Policy and Public Health, will help NLM and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine to establish priorities and action plans for the next several years.     

National Institute on Aging

Abstract

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and provides information on healthy aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease-related dementias. All content is reviewed by NIA scientists and experts before publishing to ensure the information is relevant and evidence-based. Included are topics on health for older adults, NIA research programs, funding opportunities, training, and resources.     

Increasing Public Awareness of Quality Health Information on the Internet

Abstract

Recent surveys indicate that the number of people looking for health information online has skyrocketed. Consumers have access to an abundance of information via the Web, not all of it quality, authoritative information. Bad information can be worse than no information. The Medical College of Wisconsin Libraries partnered with a local public library to offer classes to the public on finding quality health information on the Web. Within three months after each class, a follow-up survey was sent to participants to determine if they had accessed health information online since taking the class, if taking the class had helped them to find information, and if they had used any of the information in making a health care decision or in interacting with their health care provider. Results show that awareness of quality health related Web sites helped consumers to find information that they in turn used in managing their health care decisions.     

Food and Beverage Brands That Market to Children and Adolescents on the Internet: A Content Analysis of Branded Web Sites

ObjectiveTo identify food and beverage brand Web sites featuring designated children's areas, assess marketing techniques present on those industry Web sites, and determine nutritional quality of branded food items marketed to children.DesignSystematic content analysis of food and beverage brand Web sites and nutrient analysis of food and beverages advertised on these Web sites.SettingThe World Wide Web.ParticipantsOne-hundred thirty Internet Web sites of food and beverage brands with top media expenditures based on the America's Top 2000 Brands section of Brandweek magazine's annual “Superbrands” report.Main Outcome MeasuresA standardized content analysis rating form to determine marketing techniques used on the food and beverage brand Web sites. Nutritional analysis of food brands was conducted.ResultsOf 130 Web sites analyzed, 48% featured designated children's areas. These Web sites featured a variety of Internet marketing techniques, including advergaming on 85% of the Web sites and interactive programs on 92% of the Web sites. Branded spokescharacters and tie-ins to other products were featured on the majority of the Web sites, as well. Few food brands (13%) with Web sites that market to children met the nutrition criteria set by the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity.Conclusions and ImplicationsNearly half of branded Web sites analyzed used designated children's areas to market food and beverages to children, 87% of which were of low nutritional quality. Nutrition professionals should advocate the use of advertising techniques to encourage healthful food choices for children.     

Powerful connections for public health: the National Library of Medicine and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.

As incorporated in Healthy People 2010 objectives, data and information systems and a skilled workforce are 2 of the critical components of the public health infrastructure. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) are important resources for improving Internet access and providing related training to the public health workforce and to those in training for public health careers. The NLM and the NN/LM have joined forces with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the Public Health Foundation. The goal of this collaboration is to improve electronic resources useful in public health practice and increase awareness of them, to train public health professionals to use electronic information services, and to help public health agencies obtain the equipment and Internet connections needed to use these services effectively. The databases, outreach programs, and connection grants available to public health professionals from the NLM, and the training and ongoing support available from the NN/LM for accessing these programs and services, are described.     

Perceptions of Traditional Information Sources and Use of the World Wide Web to Seek Health Information: Findings From the Health Information National Trends Survey

As medical information becomes increasingly available and individuals take a more active role in managing their personal health, it is essential for scholars to better understand the general public's information-seeking behavior. The study reported here explores the use of the World Wide Web to seek health information in a contemporary information-media environment. Drawing from uses and gratifications theory and the comprehensive model of health information seeking, perceptions of traditional information sources (e.g., mass media, one's health care provider, etc.) are posited to predict use of the Web to seek health information and perceptions of information acquired from searches. Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS; N = 3982) were analyzed to test study hypotheses. Trust in information-oriented media, entertainment-oriented media, and one's health care provider all predicted Web use behavior and perceptions. The implications of the findings for research on information seeking and the role of the Web in patient empowerment are discussed.     

Consider the Source

Abstract

The vast and confusing amount of health information available on the Internet has made quick evaluation of Web sites a challenge for health information librarians. Using a number of different sites as examples, this paper offers a means of evaluating sites, based on their domain, and on their publisher. Also included are a number of sites that will help the librarian or consumer who is new to Web evaluation in determining the merits of documents.     

How Online Grocery Stores Support Consumer Nutrition Information Needs

ObjectiveTo evaluate the availability of nutrition-related information and features on leading online grocery store Web sites.MethodsTwelve US grocery Web sites were assessed to determine (1) if Nutrition Facts panel or ingredient statements were available for 26 food items; and (2) if options to filter or sort search results by nutrition-related food attributes were available.ResultsNutrition Facts panel and ingredient statement information were available for most foods for which this information is required on product packaging (85% of foods). Most stores offered the ability to filter food search results by a nutrition-related food attribute. The ability to sort search results by a nutrition attribute was not an option at any of the stores.Conclusions and ImplicationsOnline grocery stores include a variety of nutrition-related features. However, the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient statement information are not universally available for foods for which this information is required on product packaging.