Knowledge Bytes: Health

Internet Sites Selected for the Readers of Duke University Libraries

Your Disease Risk

doctors treating a patient

www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu

This useful site, created by the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention and now hosted by the Washington University School of Medicine, allows users to determine their potential risks for various cancers, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, and strokes by answering a few questions. Another section of the site lists eight ways to prevent disease and answers such commonly-asked questions as “What is prevention?” and “What is a screening test?” A “Community Action” link offers helpful ideas on supporting healthy lifestyles within a community, such as supporting nutrition programs in the local schools and supporting or starting a community garden.

RAND Compare

www.randcompare.org

For those who are puzzled by proposed reforms to the U.S. health care system, this website is a great resource. The RAND Corporation, a non-profit institution that tackles tough policy problems across a broad spectrum, has created this website to provide factual information about this important and complex issue. The link “U.S. Health Care Today” covers nine topics—consumer financial risk, patient experience, waste, reliability, and coverage—that are crucial to understanding the current state of the health care system. Another link, “Policy Options,” leads to information about the consequences of potential changes to insurance coverage, payment rules, and delivery of health services.

Health care policy proposals have been developed by Congress, governors, and state lawmakers as well as private organizations and coalitions. These proposals and their current status are found under the “Proposals” link. Click the “Analysis of Options” link to see a unique chart called the Policy Options Dashboard that outlines the effects various policy changes would have on the topics listed in the “U.S. Health Care Today” link.

screenshot of website

MayoClinic.com: First Aid

www.mayoclinic.com/health/FirstAidIndex/FirstAidIndex

photo of pills

As part of its mission to serve as a reliable source of health information, the Mayo Clinic has created an extensive website containing information about diseases, conditions, and healthy lifestyles. Included is a basic guide to first aid that provides free and medically sound advice. The guide covers over thirty subjects, including the proper care for dislocations, burns, bruises, frostbite, animal bites, heart attacks, sunburn, toothache, and trauma. The section for each subject gives a description of the symptoms and clear directions for treatment.

Thanks to the Internet Scout Project (Copyright Internet Scout Project, 1994-2009. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/) for identifying these sites. If you would like to recommend a Web site for inclusion in a future issue of Duke University Libraries, contact Joline Ezzell at joline.ezzell@duke.edu.

 
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One Response to Knowledge Bytes: Health

  1. Megan says:
    December 10, 2009 at 12:54 pm

    For a robust directory of trustworthy websites containing health information, see the Duke Medical Center Library’s subject guide for consumer and patient health information. The page links to drug information, clinical trials, and other easy resources to use for most health questions.

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