Looking for Info on Health Conditions
The doctor says it's... but what is....?
Need more information? There are lots of medical sites out there that explain conditions in terms you don't need to be a doctor to understand. Here are a few.
- To find a spectrum of health-related resources---try this government offering.
www.healthfinder.gov/
Healthfinder connects you with a range of health-related resources. The same service is available in Spanish, at: www.healthfinder.gov/espanol/
- Medline connects you quickly to over 650 topics on conditions, diseases and wellness.
http://medlineplus.gov
This site is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and offers everything from an online medical encyclopedia to interactive tutorials for patients. Find the same in Spanish, at: http://medlineplus.gov/spanish
- More information about health topics of all kinds.
www.familydoctor.org
The American Academy of Family Physicians provides this site of "health information for the whole family." Among the databases you'll find are: Search by Symptom, Find a Doctor, Dictionary of Common Medical Terms, Body Mass Index Calculator, and Drug Information Database (both prescription and over-the-counter). For Spanish, go to: www.familydoctor.org/spanish.xml
- Combined health information database (CHID).
http://chid.nih.gov/
CHID is a bibliographic database produced by health-related agencies of the Federal Government. This database provides titles, abstracts, and availability information for health information and health education resources. At the moment, CHID covers the following 12 topics: AIDS, STD, and TB education; Alzheimer's; arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases; complementary and alternative medicine; deafness and communication disorders; diabetes; digestive diseases; kidney and urologic diseases; maternal and child health; medical genetics and rare disorders; oral health; weight control.
- A real info jackpot, courtesy of the government.
www.health.gov/NHIC/
The Federal Government operates many health clearinghouses and information centers that focus on specific topics. Their services include distributing publications, providing referrals, and answering inquiries. Many offer Web sites or toll-free numbers and can connect you with the more than 1,800 organizations and government offices that provide health information upon request. You can either search by keyword or topic, at the link above, or scroll through a list of the federal health info centers to see what's out there, at:
www.health.gov/nhic/Pubs/clearinghouses.htm
- Alternative medicine?
http://nccam.nih.gov/
Visit the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) Information Clearinghouse, at the link above.
- Interested in newly published health and medical information related to your child's disability or medical condition?
www.caringparents.org
CaringParents.org is for all parents who wish to keep on top of the large amount of newly published health and medical information regarding specific medical conditions or general health concerns. Use their comprehensive research service for locating articles critical to your child's health.
Finding Services
- Find a doctor.
http://dbapps.ama-assn.org/aps/amahg.htm
Many health insurance plans require their members to use doctors participating in the plan. If you have health insurance, you'll want to make sure what your plan requires of you as a member. But for those who have some latitude...AMA Physician Select is provided online by the American Medical Association. This database provides basic professional information on virtually every licensed physician in the United States, including more than 690,000 doctors of medicine (MD) and doctors of osteopathy or osteopathic medicine (DO).
- Health care insurance for uninsured children.
www.insurekidsnow.gov/index.htm
Did you know that each state has a health insurance program for children? Children who don't have health insurance right now are very often eligible for state medical coverage. The insurance is available to children in working families, including families that include individuals with a variety of immigration status. To find out what your state's policies are, what's covered, and how to apply, call 1.877.543.7669 or find your state at: www.insurekidsnow.gov/states.htm
- Find a community health center.
www.ask.hrsa.gov/pc/
Over 44 million people in the United States lack access to primary health care. HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) provides a nationwide network of community and migrant health centers and health care for the homeless programs. To identify a service site delivering primary care to underserved populations, visit the link above.
- Resources for youth with special health care needs.
www.hrtw.org/index.html
The Healthy and Ready to Work (HRTW) project provides information and connections to health and transition expertise nationwide for youth with special health care needs. Use the "site search" on the home page to find a wealth of information.
- State-level school health policies.
Courtesy of NASBE (National Association of School Boards of Education.
http://www.nasbe.org/HealthySchools/States/State_Policy.asp
- Medicaid benefits.
www.kff.org/medicaidbenefits/
Search this online database to find information on Medicaid benefits in the 50 states, DC, and the U.S. territories, including medical benefits, populations and services covered, limits, co-payments, and reimbursement methodologies. The database is searchable by Medicaid benefit as well as by state.
- The "Medicaid Clearinghouse."
www.familiesusa.org/
Families USA is working to achieve high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans. For state-specific information on Medicare, Medicaid, children's health, and managed care, as well as state contacts, visit: www.familiesusa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=States_States1.
- Rehabilitation.
http://www.naric.com/research/default.cfm
Courtesy of NARIC, the National Rehabilitation Information Center.
NARIC offers an online searchable database of more than 300 projects funded by NIDRR (National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research), including their products. If you want to know about disability, rehabilitation, and promoting independence and employment for individuals with disabilities, NARIC is the place to visit.
- Databases re: Native American health.
http://hsc.unm.edu/library/nhd/
The Native Health Databases contain bibliographic information and abstracts of health-related articles, reports, surveys, and other resource documents pertaining to the health and health care of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Canadian First Nations.
- Databases re: Asian American health.
http://asianamericanhealth.nlm.nih.gov/
This Web resource on Asian American Health, sponsored by the National Library of Medicine, is designed to increase public awareness of the health concerns of Asian Americans in the United States. Links are provided to an assortment of documents, Web sites, databases, and other resources.
- Problems? Complaints? Too many decisions to make?
www.healthfinder.gov/healthcare/
Healthfinder.gov has brought together information on the Web to help you make important choices for yourself and your family concerning doctors, prescriptions, hospitals, long term care, health insurance, and medical privacy. The link above offers links to resources on: complaints, dentists, doctors, finding a healthcare provider, first aid, fraud, health insurance, hospice, hospitals, long-term care, medical errors, Medicare and Medicaid, nursing homes, patient privacy, prescription drugs, public health clinics, quality of care, and support groups.
- What clinical trials are being conducted?
www.clinicaltrials.gov/
Find out about federally and privately supported clinical research in human volunteers via clinicalTrials.gov, which gives you information about a trial's purpose, who may participate, locations, and phone numbers for more details.
- Find a hospital hospitality house.
http://www.nahhh.org/lodging.php
The database online at the National Association of Hospital Hospitality Houses can help patients and their families find lodging and other supportive services when confronted with medical emergencies.
Mental Health Resources
If it's mental health resources you're looking for, then the separate eNews Foundations page called Resources in the Mental Health Community stands ready for you, at:
www.nichcy.org/enews/foundations/mentalhealth101.asp
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Reprinted with the permission of the National Dissemination Center.
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