Health Information for the Public

Getting Started - Tips for Safe Searching

• MedlinePlus : Tips for healthy web surfing - What should you look for when evaluating the quality of health information on Web sites? Here are some suggestions based on our experience.
• MLANET - Finding and evaluating health info on the web - This guide outlines the collective wisdom of medical librarians who surf the Web every day to discover quality information in support of clinical and scientific decision making by doctors, scientists, and other health practitioners responsible for the nation's health.

Recommended Online Resources

All online resources listed below are FREE unless otherwise indicated.

• MedlinePlus - The consumer health information (CHI) website from the National Library of Medicine. Contains dictionaries, encyclopedias, drug information etc. Also available in Spanish/Espanol.
• ARHealthLINK - Arkansas Go Local - A directory of health services in Arkansas. The site can be searched by zip code, county, facility or type of service, and disease or health issue. ARHealthLINK - Arkansas Go Local works in tandem with MedlinePlus: users of the ARHealthLINK – Arkansas Go Local site are linked to MedlinePlus health topics, and MedlinePlus users are directed to health services in Arkansas.
• Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC) - A nonprofit corporation dedicated to the clinical evaluation and improvement of health care in Arkansas. AFMC provides indepth quality evaluation and improvement programs for Medicare, Medicaid and other payors; offers a variety of data management services to both the public and private sectors; and conducts extensive patient and public health education activities.
• FDA - The U.S. Food And Drug Administration Home Page
• Genetics Home Reference - The National Library of Medicine's web site for consumer information about genetic conditions and the genes or chromosomes responsible for those conditions.
• HealthFinder - U.S. Government Consumer Health Web Site with links to online publications, clearinghouses, databases, support groups and not-for-profit organizations.
• HealthyMinds.org - This site from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) contains a FAQ on psychiatry and expert opinions on various mental health issues; fact sheets, brochures on anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, phobias, and other topics; resources for locating a psychiatrist; and more. 
• Household Products - This database links over 6,000 consumer brands to health effects from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and allows scientists and consumers to research products based on chemical ingredients.
• RadTown - Radiation is natural and all around us. It can be man-made too. But it's nothing new. It is, quite simply, part of our lives. RadTown USA is a virtual community showing a wide variety of radiation sources and uses as you may encounter them in everyday life. From the US Environmental Protection Agency
• Tox Town - An introduction to toxic chemicals and environmental health risks you might encounter in everyday life, in everyday places. Also available in Spanish/Espanol.

Teen Health: Information and Resources for High School