Breast Health Resources on the Internet

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Breast HealthResources on the Internet

• Presented by Cybermoms (Louise Lane)
• October 2000

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• In the past women were dependent on their health
  care providers and the government for information
  concerning breast health. This information was
  not always easy to access or delivered quickly.

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• Today, the Internet is home to a wealth of
  information concerning breast health issues.
• Most of this information is poorly organized.

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What will we do today?

• Basic guidelines for Internet research
• 6 ways to locate breast health information
• Look at some great website examples
• Answer individual questions

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What skills do I need?

• Basic computer skills and some patience!

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What equipment do I need to get started?

• Any computer with an Internet connection and a
  browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape.

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Basic Guidelines

• Remember that anyone can put anything online!
• What is the purpose of the site?
• Who created the site?
• When it was last updated?

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6 Ways to find Info on the Internet

• Search Engines
• Directories
• Specialized Websites
• Internet Clubs
• Newsgroups
• Chatrooms

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Search Engines

• most popular way to find information
• search webpage metadata for key words
• may rank the websites for relevance

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Pros

• returns many hits
• find new information
• can find specific information

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Cons

• returns too many hits
• may not find all the sites you are interested in
• finds irrelevant sites
• unwanted advertising
• pornography

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Examples of Search Engines

• www.google.com
• www.dogpile.com
• www.excite.com
• www.askjeeves.com

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Directories

• similar to search engines
• list websites by categories
• can limit search to particular category

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Pros

• Returns many hits
• Find new information
• Easier to find specific information
• can suggest new categories

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Cons

• returns too many hits
• may not find all the sites you are interested in
• irrelevant sites
• unwanted advertising
• pornography

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Examples

• www.yahoo.com

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Specialized Websites

• collection of breast health information and links
  are found at one website that specializes in the
  topic

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Pros (Specialized Websites)

• only need to remember one website
• well maintained, updated frequently
• large amount of information
• less advertising to deal with
• no unwanted material such as pornography

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Cons (All Websites)

• information may be removed from the site
• website can be dropped or name changed
• information may be biased
• information may be untrue

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Examples

• Breast Care
• Community Breast Health Program
• Breast_Health
• Breast Health New Zealand
• Women w Disabilities Breast Health Access

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• Canadian Breast Cancer Network
• Breast Feeding
• La Leche League

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Internet Clubs

• group of people who are interested in a
  particular topic such as breast health post
  messages on clubs website for other members to
  respond to
• can be an excellent support mechanism

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Internet Clubs

• clubs may be public or private
• message content is restricted
• use email or post directly at website
• club may maintain additional links

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Pros

• members share same interests
• updated frequently
• archive of past messages
• free
• easy to start your own club

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Cons

• posts get off topic
• unwanted advertising
• personality conflicts
• personal security

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Examples

• Yahoo Clubs!
• Listserv
• Breast Feeding Clubs
• Breast Cancer Support Clubs

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Newsgroups

• very similar to clubs
• accessed through newgroup settings on your email
• very good for exchange of academic information
• less user friendly than Internet Clubs

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Internet Chat

• real time conversation with others
• Mirc
• ICQ

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Pros

• free
• real time
• can host your own chats
• good for conferences, quick exchange of
  information

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Cons

• software can be unstable
• requires a higher skill level
• harder to restrict content of chat
• no archive of group messages

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Examples

• ICQ
• Mirc

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Summary

• Six ways to locate breast health information on
  the Internet were presented.

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• Remember the basic guidelines.
• Treat the Internet as a secondary source for
  information concerning breast health.
• Use it as a place to find and offer support and
  guidance as well as to share joy.

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• Remember, if you cant find it, you can always
  create it.
• Yahoo! And Geocities provide space to create your
  own webpage.
• Many tutorials are available

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• This presentation will be posted at
• http//cybermoms.cyberbeach.net

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Sample Sites

• Health Care Information Resources
• Personal Survivor Page
• Womens Health