Healthy Web Sites
Useful resources to meet your health goals.

With thousands of health resources on the Internet today, reaching your health goals seems just a click away. But where do you start and how do you know if what you find online is reliable?

Trustworthy health and medical sites are generally those provided, recommended or certified by a credible, prestigious organization such as the National Institutes of Health or the American Cancer Society. These sites usually end in a “org.” or “.gov” indicating that they are non-profit and/or government sponsored.

Web Wisdom:
Look for sites that…

• Clearly state their mission and sponsors.
  
• Keep health information and advertising separate
• Provide information on contacting the people who sponsor the site (not just the designer)
• State how your privacy will be protected and how any information gathered about you will be used
• Keep content current
• Link to other reliable health organizations
• List sources and/or an editorial board with physicians and other certified health care professionals

Also, be wary of information posted to message boards, which are merely open discussions by individuals who may or may not be health care professionals.

Use online sources with caution and a healthy dose of skepticism, especially if the site makes outrageous claims or offers drug prescriptions or medical advice online.

Best Health Sites
To help you meet your health goals we’ve compiled a list of our favorite online health resources based on reliability, ease of use, links to related resources and special features.

http://www.healthfinder.gov
Healthfinder is a good place to start your search. Created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other official health sources, it provides links to hundreds of related Web sites including medical libraries, non-profit health organizations, support groups and more.

http://www.medlineplus.gov
A service of the National Library of Medicine, MEDLINEplus features information on conditions, diseases and wellness; a medical encyclopedia and a medical dictionary; a provider directory; and direct access to Medline (a search site for medical research and publications). Information on prescription or OTC drugs and How to Research a Medical Topic Online are especially helpful features.

http://www.nccam.nih.gov
For reliable information on alternative therapies without the hype, start here. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is part of the National Institutes of Health that conducts and supports research on alternative medicine.

http://www.familydoctor.org
The American Academy of Family Physicians provides basic medical information for you and your family. You can download fact sheets or print out handouts. Not feeling well? Walk yourself through the self-care flowchart to see if you can ease your symptoms or whether to call your provider.

Other reliable favorites:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov
• National Institutes of Health: http://www.nih.gov/
• American Dietetic Association: http://www.eatright.org
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/
• World Health Organization: http://www.who.int

The American Medical Association along with 9 of the nations’ leading medical specialty societies teamed up to form the e-health network, http://www.medem.com, in response to a need for quality health information on the Internet.

Resource: Family Safety & Health (Winter 2000-01), National Safety Council.

Health Links

Allergy: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/allergy.html

Alzheimer: http:www.alz.org/

AmericaDoctor's: Proactive site management efforts facilitate the timely progression of clinical studies from inception through completion. http://www.americasdoctor.com/

Antibotics: http://www.doh.wa.gov/Topics/antibiotics.htm

Arthritis: http://www.arthritis.org/

Breast Cancer: http://www.komen.org/

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs/

Cold, flu, or pneumonia: http://www.doh.wa.gov/topics/antibiotics.htm

Diabetes: link to http://www.diabetes.org

Dr. Koop: http://www.drkoop.com/

First Aid Online: http://www.mayoclinic.com/findinformation/firstaidandselfcare/index.cfm autumn/firstaid/

Immunizations:
For vaccine information and safety: http://www.immunizationinfo.org
For information for parents and answers to frequently asked questions: http://www.immunizationinfo.org/parents/faq.cfm
For information from CDS: http://www.cdc.gov
For information on immunization programs in Washington State: http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/immunize

Heart Disease: http://www.americanheart.org/

Parkinson’s: http://pdweb.mgh.harvard.edu

Parent’s page:
A resource for parents-to-be as well as parents of infants and smaller children http://www.pepsgroup.org/familyresources/default.htm
Pediatric: http://www.drgreene.com/

Respiratory Disease: http://www.ama-assn.org/

Travel Health Information: http://www.travelhealth.com/