Links General Health and More

Consumer Health and Wellness Websites and Links

The Consumer Health and Wellness Websites and Links section offers a broad, subject-organized selection of accurate and unbiased quality health Web sites geared towards the public. Numerous organizations offer comprehensive collections of well-organized consumer health links. To learn more about our selection process click [here].

General Health Links

General Health

HealthFinder – The Department of Health and Human Services gateway to Web sites on health and wellness, diseases and conditions, health issues for special groups, health care industry, etc.

MedicineNet – Encompasses a medical dictionary, symptoms and signs, procedures and tests, diseases and conditions, and medications. All content is written by medical doctors.

MedlinePlus – A comprehensive resource for consumer health information on diseases and conditions. Includes dictionaries, databases, clearinghouses, organizations, directories of doctors and hospitals, publications and libraries.

NationalHealth Information Center (NHIC) – NHIC provides a referral service, primarily through the National Health Resource Database. The database includes 1,800 organizations and government offices that provide health information upon request.Entries include contact information, short abstracts and information about publications and services the organizations provide.

NIHHealth Information – A consumer health information portal organized by the National Institutes of Health. Health topics cover diseases, clinical trials and drugs.

BioMedSearch – A free search engine that contains all PubMed/MedLine publications, plus some additional journals and a collection of theses and dissertations that are not available anywhere else for free. Given this, BioMedSearch it is more comprehensive than some of NIH’s searches, or any other free site.

Toll-Free Number for Health Information – Selected toll-free numbers for organizations provide health-related information, education and support. Organizations are grouped by health concern (e.g., bone disease, rehabilitation, etc).

WebMD – Provides quality health information written by health professionals. Also offers tools to manage your health and support for those seeking further information..

Aging

National Institute on Aging (NIA) Health Information – Offers online articles; access to NIA print publications; and a directory of agencies, resource centers and volunteer programs.

Senior Health – Details on 10 health topics of interest to seniors: Alzheimer’s, arthritis, balance problems, hearing loss, etc. Audio is available for those with sight difficulties.

Seniors’ Health Topics – A section of the MedlinePlus directory geared towards health issues related to aging. Especially covers topics such as assisted living devices, caregivers, nursing homes, etc.

Alternative Medicine

Alternative Medicine Foundation – Responsible and reliable information about alternative medicine for the public and health professionals through published resource guides on various therapeutic modalities (acupuncture, ayurveda, homeopathy, etc).

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Health Information – Search for information based on condition, type of treatment or supplement. Also publishes timely articles on the safety and efficacy of these therapeutic treatments, as well as alerts and advisories on harmful side effects or drug interactions.

Children’s Environmental Health

America’s Children and the Environment – US EPA site devoted to assembling quantitative information from a variety of sources that show trends in levels of environmental contaminants in air, water, food and soil; concentrations of contaminants measured in the bodies of mothers and children; and childhood diseases that may be influenced by environmental factors.

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Site – Compiled list of Internet resources on testing for lead, identifying lead in the home and in water, reducing lead exposure, etc.

Children’s Environmental Health – An online pamphlet discussing the research being conducted by NIEHS on environmental factors and contaminants and their impact on children’s health. Research areas include ADHD, asthma, autism, birth defects, cancer, among others. Links are also provided to several children’s environmental health research centers across the U.S.

Children’s Environmental Health Network – A national, multi-disciplinary organization whose mission is to protect the fetus and child from environmental health hazards and promote a healthy environment. The CEHN Resource Guide includes a directory of organizations active in children’s environmental health issues and a compendium of statistical data sources.

Children’s Environmental Health Worldwide Web Resource Sampler – Provides links to governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in research on children’s environmental health issues.

Lactmed – Lactmed, a recent addition to the Toxnet system, is a peer-reviewed and fully referenced database of drugs to which breastfeeding mothers may be exposed. Among the data included are maternal and infant levels of drugs, possible effects on breastfed infants and on lactation, and alternate drugs to consider.

National Children’s Study – The National Children’s Study will examine the effects of environmental influences (biological, chemical, genetic, man-made, social, and others) on the health and development of more than 100,000 children across the United States, following them from before birth until age 21. The site provides information on how to participate in the study’s development and keep current on events.

World Health Organization’s Children’s Environmental Health – A World Health Organization site which includes national profiles, environmental health indicators, guidelines, statistics, and reports as related the children’s environmental health.

Genetics

Science Behind the Human Genome Project – Provides a full description of the human genome project and has a guide to Genetics 101 to understand the science behind the project. Explores ethical, social and legal issues surrounding genetically modified food, gene therapy, gene testing, use of genetics in the courtroom, etc.

You and Your Genes: Making it in a Tough Environment – Geared towards middle and high school students, explains the role genes play in our development and how they interact or react to environmental factors.

Your Genes, Your Health – A multimedia guide to genetic disorders. The sites profiles fifteen disorders (e.g., hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, etc.) and explains the disease, how it is inherited, nature of symptoms, how prevalent it is and latest treatments.

Men’s Health

MedlinePlus: Men’s Health Topics – Alphabetical list of health concerns to men including male breast cancer, infertility, prostate cancer, etc.

Minority Health

Minority Women’s Health – Part of the National Women’s Health Information Center Web site. Discusses health problems particular to various ethnic groups (African-American, Hispanic/Latina, American Indian and Asian American).

Office of Minority Health – Offers an extensive list of health links, data, statistics and links to federal publications related to the topic.

North Carolina Health

NC Health Info – Created by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Health Sciences Library. NC Health Info is a gateway to Web sites for local health care providers, programs, facilities and services.

North Carolina Drinking Water – Get reports on the quality of drinking water in your area.

North Carolina Health Atlas – Contains maps of North Carolina that depict county-level health and health-related information. The primary purpose of the atlas is to provide a way to interpret visually a broad range of data and information about the health of North Carolinians.

Traveler’s Health

Travel Health Online – Comprehensive site of travel information for 220 countries, including information on vaccines, health/safety information, preventive measures, FAQs on local diseases, etc. Also includes a directory of pre-travel medicine providers.

Travelers’ Health – Get health information by destination, relevant vaccinations, outbreaks and common diseases; how to travel with children; and ensuring safe food and water.

Women’s Health

Healthy Women – National Women’s Health Resource Center site geared towards comprehensive health information.

Lactmed – Lactmed, a recent addition to the Toxnet system, is a peer-reviewed and fully referenced database of drugs to which breastfeeding mothers may be exposed. Among the data included are maternal and infant levels of drugs, possible effects on breastfed infants and on lactation, and alternate drugs to consider.

National Women’s Health Information Center – Database of information on health topics pertinent to women: pregnancy, violence, diabetes, etc. The center sponsors a call-center at (800) 994-9662 for information, referrals and a helpline. Also offers some health information in Spanish.

Diseases & Conditions

 

Allergies/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) – The AAAAI Patients and Consumers Center offers public education materials, brochures, FAQs and background information on specific allergic conditions.

A Report on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity – A 1998 report discussing the background and causes of MCS, epidemiological evidence, tools for future research and methods of medical evaluation.

MC Survivors – A site devoted to those who have survived multiple chemical sensitivity. Organizes online resources covering organizations, medical treatment centers, food factors, books and products, communities and legal aid.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases – Useful list of publications, fact sheets and brochures about the immune system and living with allergies.

Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s Association – Sections geared towards Alzheimer’s patients, caregivers and physicians. Provides latest information on current research.

Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center – Operated by the National Institute on Aging to provide general information on causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, caregiving and clinical trials associated with Alzheimer’s.

MedlinePlus: Alzheimer’s Disease – Compilation of links to government and non-profit organizations specializing in the diagnosis, treatment and coping with Alzheimer’s.

Asthma

Asthma Research at NIEHS – Learn more about the type of research being done at NIEHS. Links to information on preventing asthma attacks and useful online asthma resources.

Selected Online Resources About Asthma – The National Library of Medicine has compiled these links to government and non-profit organizations disseminating information and conducting research on asthma.

Birth Defects

Birth Defects Research for Children – Comprehensive source of fact sheets and information resources. A free, monthly online newsletter, Birth Defects News, that highlights the latest advances in research.

March of Dimes – Good starting point for background information on types of birth defects, learning about the roles genes play in birth defects, how to obtain genetic testing and counseling and other useful guidance.

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities – Research focuses on identifying the causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities and how to help children fulfill their potential. The site also offers “kids” pages and a Spanish language version.

Cancer

Cancer.gov – The National Cancer Institute’s portal to information on the types of cancer, treatment options, methods for coping with cancer, support groups, screening and testing and prevention measures.

Cancer News on the Net – Dedicated to bringing patients and their families the latest news and information on cancer diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

OncoLink – Good starting resource for information on the types of cancer, treatment options, coping with cancer, clinical trials, and bibliography of books, music and videotapes on cancer.

Environmental Health Links

 

Miscellaneous Environmental Health Links

Concerned Citizens – US EPA site geared towards citizens who want to become familiar with environmental issues and the potential environmental and human health risks caused by pollution. Covers important emergency phone numbers, health and safety issues at work, protecting children at home and a community’s right to know about environmental exposures.

EnviroHealthAction – An education and action center that provides an online community for health professionals and others interested in environmental health. Addresses topics covering toxic substances, children’s environmental health, air pollution, chronic diseases, climate change, vulnerable populations and drinking water.

Enviro-Health Links – A portal to selected links to Internet resources on toxicology and environmental health issues of recent special interest; e.g., biological warfare, environmental justice, pollution, toxicogenomics, et al.

Environmental Defense – Environmental Defense evaluates environmental problems and works to create and advocate solutions that win lasting political, economic and social support because they are nonpartisan, cost-efficient and fair. Topics include antiobiotic resistance, agricultural policy, air quality, animal farms, environmental justice, pollution prevention, etc.

Environmental Emergencies – Learn whom to notify and how to be prepared in case of an environmental emergency, such as a chemical or oil spill.

Environmental Fact Sheets and Pamphlets – Compendium of information sheets and pamphlets on a range of environmental topics issued by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

New Environmental Health – A fact sheet explaining why, as our environment gets healthier, so do we. Reviews how chemicals impact our life, discusses epidemiology studies to determine patterns of disease and explains the role of genes and one’s individual susceptibility to disease.

Window to My Environment – US EPA site that allows a user to enter geographic information (zip code, city or state) and find federal, state and local information about environmental conditions and features in that area.

Your Environment is Your Health – Outlines 20 easy steps to promote your environment and protect your personal health.

Disasters

EnviroMapper for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita – Offers maps and aerial photos to locate EPA and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality water sampling sites.

Endocrine Disruptors & Estrogens

Endocrine Disruptors Research Initiative – An inventory of federal government research on the effects of environmental chemicals on the endocrine system of humans and wildlife. Includes links to other related sites.

E. Hormone: Environment and Hormones – A gateway to events, research, news, books and learning facts sheets on the impact of environmental estrogens and other hormones on human health.

Pollution

Drinking Water and Health – Find out where drinking water comes from, how it is treated, who is responsible for water quality and what contaminants may be in your drinking water.

Indoor Air Pollution – A compilation of links to government and non-government websites covering specific environmental, biological, and chemical agents that cause indoor air pollution.

Outdoor Air Pollution – A compilation of links to government and non-government websites covering specific environmental, biological, and chemical agents that cause outdoor air pollution.

Scorecard – Find out what pollutants are being released in your area. Enter a zip code and receive information on the release of toxic chemicals, animal waste from farms, air quality, lead hazards and the health of your area’s watershed.

Toxins and Disease – This spreadsheet from the Collaborative on Health and the Environment summarizes the links between exposure to chemical contaminants and about 200 human diseases, disorders, or conditions. Classified according to disease, the website provides strength of evidence (limited/conflicting, good or strong) linking the disease with the toxin(s). The information is based on a review of published scientific research in environmental medicine and toxicology.

Hazardous Substances

 

Arsenic

Arsenic and Human Health – A compilation of links to national and international websites concerning arsenic. Information ranges from policies and regulations to data and research literature. A limited amount of information is available in Spanish.

Asbestos

Asbestos in Your Home – US EPA site dedicated to helping the public understand what asbestos is, its health effects and what to do about it.

Chemicals

Second National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals – Second report in a series that provides an ongoing assessment of the exposure of the US population to environmental chemicals by measuring the chemicals or their metabolites in human specimens, such as blood or urine.

Top 20 Hazardous Substances – The government’s list of the top twenty substances commonly found at waste sites that are determined to pose the most significant potential threat to human health due to their known or suspected toxicity and potential for human exposure.

TOXMAP – Toxmap uses interactive mapping software to help users explore the geographic distribution of TRI chemical releases, their amounts, and trends over time. TOXMAP helps users create nationwide or local area maps showing where TRI chemicals are released on-site into the air, water, and ground. Users can search the system by chemical name, chemical name fragment, and/or location (such as city, state, or zip code).

Toxtown – An interactive guide to toxic chemicals and environmental health risks you might encounter in everyday life, in everyday places.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES)

DES Action – A consumer organization dedicated to informing the public about DES and helping DES-exposed individuals. Besides a quarterly newsletter, DES Action Voice, the group provides a physician and attorney referral list.

DES Cancer Network – A network for women with clear cell cancer. Provides a forum for information exchange, education, and mutual support. Includes a good list of helpful resources.

DES Research Update – Proceedings from a 1999 government-sponsored conference that examined the history of DES problems, past and current research, and recommendations for addressing current and future needs.

DES Update – Published by the CDC, this Web site has sections geared towards consumers (DES self-assessment, understanding its impact on health) and healthcare providers (pharmacology, managing DES patients, etc).

Electromagnetic Fields (EMF)

EMF in the Workplace – A fact sheet from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) explaining the hazards of exposure to electromagnetic fields in the work environment.

EMF-Link – Substantive information on biological and health effects of electric and magnetic fields (EMFs). The EMF Primer introduces EMF, reviews health and biological effects studies, looks at EMF in the environment and lists sources of further information.

Hazardous Waste

ToxFaqs – Explains what substance is, methods of exposure to the substance and how it affects the environment and human health.

Household Products

Household Products Database – A database of more than 4,000 household products identifying key chemical ingredients and any acute or chronic health effects.

Lead

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Site – Compiled list of Internet resources on testing for lead, identifying lead in the home and in water, reducing lead exposure, etc.

Lead and Environmental Health – A compilation of links to websites on lead that provide an overview of the problem, glossaries and dictionaries, data and research, and literature sources. Spanish language materials are also available.

Lead is All Around Us – An online publication by NIEHS on the adverse health effects of lead poisoning and how to minimize one’s exposure.

Lead Poisoning: Fact Sheet Library – National Safety Council fact sheet on prevalence of lead exposure, known health effects, testing for lead in the home and reducing lead exposure.

Pesticides

Pesticide Action Network North America – Seeks to reduce the use of pesticides through more economically viable alternatives. Publishes reports on pesticide use, health effects, occupational safety, etc. Also offers a Pesticide Database that allows you to search by chemical or product.

Pesticide Exposure – A new web page that addresses the relationship between pesticides and human health has been added to the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) Enviro-Health Links. The page provides links to selected websites on pesticide exposure, as well as on the treatment and prevention of pesticide poisoning.

Poison

American Association of Poison Control Centers – Network of poison control centers designed to disseminate useful information on poison prevention and poisoning statistics. In case of a poison emergency, call (800) 222-1222.

Tobacco

The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke This 2006 Surgeon General report reveals that nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent.

Consumer Health and Wellness Links: Selection Criteria

The Consumer Health and Wellness Websites and Links section offers a broad, subject-organized selection of accurate and unbiased quality health Web sites geared towards the public. Numerous organizations offer comprehensive collections of well-organized consumer health links. We seek to link to Web sites that provide:

• Quality, Authority and Accuracy of Content
  • The majority of content authors include federal government agencies, national non-profit or volunteer health organizations and universities.
  • The information provided is geared to a specified audience.
  • Educational and not commercial information is the focus.
  • Information is from primary resources.
  • The links are evaluated, reviewed, and quality filtered as well.
• A User-friendly, Well-maintained Web Site
  • The Web site is consistently available.
  • The site is well-organized and easy to use.
  • Links from the site are maintained.
  • Information is current or an update date is included.
  • Registration is not required to view the information on the site.

The majority of these sites are produced by an outside source, and we do not control the information content of these sites, nor do we endorse any specific product or service contained in these external Web sites.

While the Web provides a large quantity of information, it doesn’t always ensure quality content. Remember that anyone can publish a Web site. To ensure that you are accessing a reputable consumer health Web site, read the Medical Libraries Association’s A User’s Guide to Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Web.