St. Charles City-County Library

Millions of consumers get health information from the Internet. Some of the information is reliable and up to date; some is not. How can you tell the good from the bad?

Consider the source.  Is it a .gov, .com, .edu, .org?  What is the author's bias?  When is the webpage updated - daily, monthly, annually? Is the content factual?  Look for evidence based research.  Be a cyber-skeptic!

The Top Ten Consumer Health Sites (Per the CH staff at SCCCLD)

http://medlineplus.gov -  A gold mine of reliable health information from the world's largest medical library, the National Library of Medicine. Health professionals and consumers alike can depend on it for information that is authoritative and up to date.  There are directories, encyclopedias, dictionaries, easy-to-understand tutorials on common conditions, tests, and treatments, health information in Spanish, extensive information on prescription and nonprescription drugs, health news, and links to thousands of clinical trials. MedlinePlus is updated daily.

http://211missouri.org -  For people who are looking for training, employment, food pantries, help for an aging parent, addiction prevention programs for their teenage children, affordable housing options, support groups and ways of becoming part of their community. 2-1-1 allows people to give help and to get help.  2-1-1 is an easy way to connect people with important community services and volunteer opportunities.

http://kidshealth.org - KidsHealth is the most-visited site on the Web for information about health, behavior, and development from before birth through the teen years.One of the things that makes KidsHealth special is that it's really three sites in one: with sections for parents, for kids, and for teens. KidsHealth also provides families with perspective, advice, and comfort about a wide range of physical, emotional, and behavioral issues that affect children and teens.

http://healthfinder.gov -  Resources on a wide range of health topics selected from over 1,600 government and non-profit organizations to bring you the best, most reliable health information on the Internet.

http://nccam.nih.gov/-   The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the Federal Government's lead agency for scientific research on the diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine.

http://www.samhsa.gov/ -  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides information about substance abuse and mental health via a toll-free telephone number (800-789-2647), this web site, and more than 600 publications. SAMHSA was developed for users of mental health services and their families, the general public, policy makers, providers, and the media.

http://medicare.gov -  The official U.S. government site for Medicare, the federal health insurance program that covers most people age 65 and older.  It provides information about the parts of Medicare, what's new, and how to find Medicare plans, facilities, or providers.

MEDICARE QUESTIONS? CLAIM has Medicare Answers!- Get help with Medicare questions like: Enrollment and billing, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, Medigap and supplemental insurance, Long-term care planning and insurance, Medicare Advantage plans, Public benefits, Appeals and grievances, Suspected waste, fraud, and abuse.

http://nihseniorhealth.gov - This easy-to-use website features basic health and wellness information for older adults from the National Institutes of Health. Use the buttons at the top of each page to make the text bigger, change text color, or hear the text read aloud.

http://health.sccmo.org/health/ - The St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment website with information about the programs and services provided by its four divisions. The site is also linked to a vast amount of health and environmental information.

http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/ - What's under your kitchen sink, in your garage, in your bathroom, and on the shelves in your laundry room?
Learn more about what's in these products, about potential health effects, and about safety and handling.