Your Health, In Your Hands
Most people would like to be well-informed health consumers, but finding credible, reliable, freely accessible health information on the Web can be a challenge. The Health Web Guide helps you locate online medical dictionaries and encyclopedias, health-specific search engines, thorough overviews of illnesses, injuries, diseases and conditions, and advice on seeking professional medical help. A Spanish-language version of the Health Web Guide is also available.
Expand All Guide SectionsEvaluating Online Health Information
The Internet can be a great place to find health information, but because health is a serious topic ... read more »
Top Health Web Sites
The Web is host to a substantial number of reliable, comprehensive health sites. If you know what type of information you're looking for, chances are you'll be able to bypass the search engines altogether and go straight to one of these information portals. Visit the top health Web sites below to supplement your doctor's advice.
Insights for Top Health Web Sites
- Once you've familiarized yourself with the top health sites on the Web, you may feel comfortable bypassing health search engines and going directly to the information sources. Or use SweetSearch, findingDulcinea's search engine that only searches sites that have been evaluated for reliability.
Top Sites for Health
For leading online-only sources …
WebMD
is the most visited consumer health Web site and has authoritative information on many health-related topics. Look for health news, extensive information on diseases and conditions, thorough topical health guides, a family health center, a lifestyle section and more.
eMedicineHealth
is owned and operated by WebMD. The site contains more than 900 articles written by physicians. Each article is reviewed by one or more physician editors before publication.
MedicineNet,
owned and operated by WebMD, is a comprehensive health portal published by a network of more than 70 medical professionals. In addition to the wealth of articles, visitors can access the authoritative MedTerms medical dictionary.
InteliHealth
is a long-established Web site that features consumer health information generated by Harvard Medical School and other leading medical organizations. It is now owned by Aetna Insurance. InteliHealth's straightforward design makes it simple to find disease information, medication information or health information specific to your sex or age group.
KidsHealth
is a portal of information for kids and teens, and their parents, and is part of the Nemours Foundation, a nonprofit created by Alfred I. duPont. The site is arranged into three portals: one for parents, one for kids and one for teenagers.
NetWellness
is a resource operated by the combined health professionals of the University of Cincinnati, Case Western Reserve University and The Ohio State University. Its most useful feature is "Ask an Expert," where health experts have already provided answers to more than 38,000 consumer health questions.
Healthwise
is a nonprofit formed in 1975 that focuses on developing consumer health content to help people make health decisions that are right for them. The Healthwise database powers the topics for WebMD as well as hundreds of hospital and health plan Web sites. Healthwise also sells a print version of the "Healthwise Handbook," an inexpensive self-care guide.
For sites published by medical groups …
FamilyDoctor.org
is a Web site operated by the American Academy of Family Physicians, a national medical organization representing family physicians, family practice residents and medical students. One of the more useful tools is a "Search by Symptom" section, which attempts to diagnose your illness based on your responses to questions about your symptoms.
American Academy of Pediatrics
features information on children’s health, organized alphabetically or by developmental stage.
For sites published by leading medical authorities …
The Merck Manual
has been published since 1899 and is a best-selling medical text used by physicians. A "Home Edition" of the manual was introduced in 1997, and is now online. The site states that the manual covers "disorders, who is likely to get them, their symptoms, how they're diagnosed, how they might be prevented, and how they can be treated; also provides information about prognosis."
Mayo Clinic
has a reputation as one of the most respected health care facilities in the country. Its site is dedicated to providing the public with the most up-to-date and comprehensive information, and includes a range of subject guides on diseases and conditions, and drugs and medications.
CenterWatch
is a highly acclaimed site about emerging medical therapies and clinical research. The site includes listings of more than 41,000 active industry and government-sponsored clinical trials, as well as new drug therapies in research and those recently approved by the FDA.
For federal government resources …
Healthfinder.gov
is a Web site of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services together with other federal agencies. It has been recognized as a key resource for finding the best government and nonprofit health and human services information on the Internet. Find links to carefully selected information and Web sites from more than 1,500 health-related organizations.
MedlinePlus
is a government site that draws from the resources of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. It includes a directory of more than 700 health topics, a medical encyclopedia, a medical dictionary, drug and supplement information, and a health care directory. The health topic directory offers hundreds of links to external Web sites for each topic.
ClinicalTrials.gov
presents information about ongoing clinical trials of new medical therapies. Search by drug intervention, condition, location or sponsor.
WomensHealth.gov
is a Web site of the National Women's Health Information Center. Look for women's health news, extensive topic listings, organizations, events and more.
Health Insurance
Anyone not covered by an employer's insurance policy appreciates what a luxury health care can be. ... read more »
Find a Doctor or Dentist
It's important to have a good relationship with your doctor, and it's doubly important to select ... read more »
Talking to Your Doctor About Your Health
Talking to your doctor about your health can be enhanced with a little ... read more »
Medication
All medication, whether prescribed by your doctor or received over the counter, is ... read more »
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