Prescription for Success: Online Consumer Health Resources - Crowley Lake

Prescription for Success: Online Consumer Health Resources

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 80% of adult Internet users in the U.S., and 83% of adult California Internet users, have searched for health information online. You have undoubtedly come into contact with many of these "health seekers" or may be one yourself. But have you felt overwhelmed by the amount of health information that can be found on the web? Have you wondered whether the information you are finding is reliable? If so, or if you just want to become more comfortable with your ability to find and identify trustworthy health information on the web, then Prescription for Success is a workshop you won't want to miss. A strong emphasis will be placed on becoming familiar with the depth and breadth of the National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus consumer health web resource. Other National Library of Medicine resources will be highlighted. An additional emphasis will be on learning skills to assist in evaluation of health web sites, to give workshop attendees confidence in their abilities to find reliable health web sites.

Workshop Description: This full day workshop is a partner project between Infopeople and the Pacific Southwest Region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. It covers the basics of MedlinePlus.gov, other important National Library of Medicine, government and reliable health resources. Drug, pharmaceutical, herbal and alternative web sites will be highlighted. An emphasis will be placed on evaluation techniques for health web sites.

Preliminary Course Outline:

• The National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus for Reliable Health Information
  • How to interpret patrons' health-related questions
  • Use MedlinePlus to find disease-specific information
  • Use MedlinePlus to find drug and herbal information
  • Use MedlinePlus to find doctors/hospitals, news and more
• Additional National Library of Medicine Resources
  • Use DIRLINE to find health organizations & agencies
  • Use Toxline, ToxTown and/or Household Products Database for information on commonly used toxic substances
  • Use Genetics Home Reference
• Evaluation of Consumer Health Resources on the Web
  • Learn specific criteria for evaluating unknown health web resources
• Additional Web Resources for California Residents and Special Populations
  • Use reliable web resources to find health information and assistance for low-income Californians
  • Use reliable web resources to find health information for non-English speaking Californians
  • Use reliable web resources to find information on California hospitals and nursing homes

Who Should Attend: Anyone from the California library community who must respond to users' health-related questions, who has ever looked for health information online for her/himself or family members, or has an interest in or need to find such information in the future.

Prerequisites: This course requires that students be comfortable with basic computer skills, including using a mouse, navigating the web, and basic keyboarding. For help with these basic skills, we recommend the New Computer Users section of the Infopeople Resources Guides, at infopeople.org/resources.

Check-in: 8:30 to 9 AM Instruction: 9 AM to 4:30 PM

For information about training, or using materials found on this website, please contact the Infopeople Project Assistant by email at assist@infopeople.org or by phone at 650-578-9685.

© 2008 Infopeople Project. Material on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. The Infopeople Project is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.