MEDLINEplus: Your Gateway to Consumer Health Information on the Web

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MEDLINEplusYour Gateway to Consumer Health
Information on the Web
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Objectives

• Understand criteria for evaluating web resources
• Identify quality resources for answering health
  questions
• Search MEDLINEplus for authoritative health
  information
• Learn about the content and features of other NLM
  databases
• Incorporate tips for effective training

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Consumer Health Information

• Any information that enables individuals to
  understand their health and make health-related
  decisions for themselves and their families
• Source Patrick and Koss, CHI White Paper, 1995

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CAPHIS Definition

• Information on health and medical topics provided
  in response to requests from the general public,
  including patients and their families. In
  addition to information on the symptoms,
  diagnosis and treatment of disease, CHI
  encompasses information on health promotion,
  preventive medicine, the determinants of health
  and accessing the health care system.
• Source The Librarians Role in the Provision of
  Consumer Health Information and Patient Education
  - CAPHIS, 1996

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Health Information on the Web

• Diseases Conditions
• Medications
• Tests Procedures
• Medical Research
• Health Care Providers
• Advocacy Support Groups

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Quality Matters

• Accurate
• Current
• Relevant
• Evidence-based
• Free of bias
• Reliable
• Understandable

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MEDLINEplus Historical Overview

• October 1998
• 22 health topics
• 116,000 hits

• October 2000
• 418 health topics
• Drug information
• Clinical Trials
• MEDLINE searches
• Illustrated medical encyclopedia
• 2 million hits per month

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"We nearly decided not to bother listing any
other sites after spending a few hours with the
remarkably well-edited MEDLINEplus, a service of
the National Library of Medicine.

• Craig Stolz
• Healthy Web Sites for Seniors" Washington
  Post Health Section
• July 18, 2000

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MEDLINEplus Features

• User friendly source
• Health information for patients and the public
• Quality filtered
• Credible sources
• Links to MEDLINE searches

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MEDLINEplus Selection Guidelines

• Quality
• Authority
• Accuracy
• Educational purpose
• Consistently available
• Accessible

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MEDLINEplus Resources

• Health Topics
• Drug Information
• Dictionaries
• Medical Encyclopedia
• Doctors/Dentists

• Hospitals
• Organizations
• MEDLINE
• Databases
• Publications/News
• Libraries

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MEDLINEplus Options

• Choose a topic by letter
• High Blood Pressure
• Choose a topic by category
• Infections
• Use the search box
• Sickle Cell Anemia

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MEDLINEplus Demo
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Online Help

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• MEDLINEplus TOUR

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Hands-On Exercises
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MEDLINEplusYour Gateway to Consumer Health
Information on the WebPart 2
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Overview of NLM Databases

• MEDLINEplus
• ClinicalTrials.gov
• DIRLINE
• MEDLINE
• LOCATORplus
• NLM Gateway
• TOXNET

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ClinicalTrials.gov
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ClinicalTrials.gov Features

• Information about clinical research studies
• 5,000 NIH clinical studies
• Multiple sources
• Browse by condition or sponsor
• Excellent users guide

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DIRLINE
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DIRLINE Features

• Directory of Information Resources Online
• National, international, federal and state
  organizations
• Health focus
• Location, description and contact information

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PubMed
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PubMed Features

• User-friendly search engine for MEDLINE
• NLMs database of references to articles
• Links to selected free articles
• Many include summaries
• Most articles are written for the health care
  professional

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LOCATORplus
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LOCATORplus Features

• National Library of Medicine online catalog
• Books, journals, audiovisuals
• Search by keyword, title, author, MeSH term or
  call number
• Quick Start Tutorial Advanced Search Tutorial

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NLM Gateway
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Gateway Features

• Newest NLM resource
• Novice NLM searchers
• Simultaneous searches in multiple retrieval
  systems
• Databases, databanks, catalog
• Meeting abstracts

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TOXNET
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TOXNET Features

• Toxicology and environmental health information
• Special Topics
• Toxicology Tutors

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Tools for Librarians

• HEALTHINFOQUEST
• Consumer Health an Online Manual

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HEALTHINFOQUEST

• Web Tutorial
• Pathfinders
• Authoritative resources
• Traditional and alternative medicine
• Designed for public librarians

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Consumer Health An Online Manual

• Planning a library
• Collection development
• Health literacy
• Readability analysis
• Materials for special populations
• Hot topics fact sheets

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Guides for Consumers

• National Library of Medicine Guide to Finding
  Health Information
• National Library of Medicine
• How to research a medical topic online
• - Consumer Reports on Health

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Tips for Trainers

• Assess
• Decide
• Allocate
• Prepare
• Present
• Evaluate

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Assess Your Audience

• Computer competence
• Web experience
• Needs and interests
• Language and literacy

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Focus Your Teaching

• General health sources
• MEDLINEplus
• Specific health topics
• Diseases
• Drug information
• Tests and procedures

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Allocate Your Time

• Lecture
• Demonstration
• Hands-on Exercises
• Questions
• Discussion

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Prepare the Content

• Identify three to five objectives
• Locate resources
• Review web sites thoroughly
• Address quality issues
• Design/locate/copy handouts

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Present the Class

• Introduce the topic
• Demonstrate the resources
• Let them search
• Answer questions
• Review and reinforce

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Evaluate

• Include an evaluation form
• Incorporate suggestions and observations
• Revise
• Re-evaluate

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Training Resources

• National Library of Medicine
• National Network of Libraries of Medicine
• National Online Training Center

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National Library of Medicine
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National Network of Libraries of Medicine
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National Online Training Center
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MEDLINEplus

• Good information is the best medicine.
• Depend on reliable sources
• Use current information
• Make treatment decisions with your physician

Your Information Prescription

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