Last revised: August, 2007

Consumer Health

Scope: This guide will lead to books, periodicals, databases, Internet resources, and local collections in the area of consumer health. They provide the general public with an opportunity to become more knowledgeable about health-related issues in readable language. These resources are meant to provide background for making health decisions in consultation with your physician. For more information, contact the subject area specialist, Stuart Gagnon, at sgagnon@umd.edu.

How to Find Books in the Catalog

consumer education
consumer health United States of America
medical care
medicine, popular
medicine popular works
patient education

Bibliographies

• Cullen, Rowena. Health Information on the Internet: A Study of Providers, Quality, and Users.
  Westport, CN: Praeger, 2006.
  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library Reference Stacks
  CALL NUMBER: R859.7.I58 C85 2006
  One chapter is dedicated to consumer health information available on the Internet.

• Rees, Alan. Consumer Health Information Sourcebook. 7th ed.
  Phoenix, AR: Oryx Press, 2003.
  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library Reference Stacks
  CALL NUMBER: RA766.C66 2003
  An evaluative source of books, popular health magazines and newsletters, pamphlets, health information clearinghouses and information centers, toll-free hotlines, health related organizations providing substantial educational or information to the public, and professional publications for reference. Also included are CD-ROMs, online services, instant fax-based services, and consumer health software products.
  

• Wood, Sandra (ed.). Health Care Resources on the Internet: A Guide for Librarians and Health Care Consumers.
  New York: Haworth Information Press, 2000.
  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library Reference Stacks, UMCP McKeldin Library Stacks
  CALL NUMBER: R119.9.H39 2000
  
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  Encyclopedias

• Ammer, Christine. The New A to Z of Women's Health: A Concise Encyclopedia. 4th ed.
  New York: Facts on File, 2000.
  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library Reference Stacks
  CALL NUMBER: RA778.A494 2000
  

• Gay, Kathlyn. Encyclopedia of Women's Health Issues.
  Westport, CN: Oryx Press, 2002.
  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library Reference Stacks
  CALL NUMBER: RA778.G39 2002
  

• Ronzio, Robert A. The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health. 2nd ed.
  New York: Facts on File, 2003.
  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library Reference Stacks
  CALL NUMBER: RA784 .R646 2003
  

• Wagman, Richard J., and J.G. Ferguson Editorial Staff. The New Complete Medical and Health Encyclopedia. 4 vols.
  Chicago: J.G. Ferguson Pub. Co., 2000.
  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library Reference Stacks
  CALL NUMBER: RC81.A2N434 2000 (v.1-4)
  

• Go to the Catalog. Click on Advanced Search at the top of the screen and type in the search box Facts on File Library of Health and Living to find encyclopedias on topics such as: stress, women's health, men's health, death and dying, nutrition, complementary and alternative medicine, depression, various disorders, and more.
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  Handbooks

• Go to the Catalog. Click on Advanced Search at the top of the screen and type in the search box Health Reference Series to find consumer health reference books on topics such as: sleep disorders, Alzheimer's Disease, AIDS, diet and nutrition, sports injuries, alternative medicine, mental health disorders, disabilities, diabetes, cancer, communication disorders, substance abuse, fitness and exercise, and more.
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  Magazines

• FDA Consumer Rockville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Food and Drug Administration.
  Washington, D.C., Supt. of Docs, U.S. G.P.O.
  LOCATION: McKeldin Library Government Documents SU DOCS
  v.6- (1972/1973- )
  CALL NUMBER: HE20.4010
  

  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library Government Documents Microfilm
  v.8-30 (1974/1975-1996)
  CALL NUMBER: HD9000.1.U5A16
  

  LOCATION: Online (http://www.fda.gov/fdac/fdacindex.html)
  v. 23- (April 1989- )
  

• Consumer Reports on Health
  Yonkers, NY: Consumer Union of United States.
  LOCATION: Online [Academic Search Premier (1991- ) ]
  See E-Journals section in Research Port for additional locations.
  
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  Databases

• CINAHL [Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health] (EBSCOhost) UM only
  Contains citations and articles on nursing, allied health, biomedicine, and consumer health. Health material from books and pamphlets is included.

• Health Source : Consumer Edition (EBSCOhost) UM only
  Search for information on many health topics including the medical sciences, food sciences and nutrition, childcare, sports medicine and general health. It features searchable full-text for nearly 160 journals including the British Medical Journal and The Lancet, as well as abstracts and indexing for over 170 general health, nutrition and professional health care publications.
  

• MEDLINEPlus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/)
  This free database from the National Institutes of Health provides access to extensive information about specific diseases and conditions. It also has links to consumer health information from the National Institutes of Health, dictionaries, lists of hospitals and physicians, health information in Spanish and other languages, and clinical trials.
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  Internet Resources

• FAQ:Finding Consumer Health Information (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/faqpc.html)
  The National Library of Medicine
  Provides a FAQ in question format for finding information about drugs, information for making decisions about medical care, and tips for searching on the Internet for reliable health information.

• Choosing Health Books as a Consumer (http://caphis.mlanet.org/resources/bookselect.html)
  Consumer Health and Patient Information Section, Medical Library Association
  A guide for the general public when wanting to select a health-related book. Included are features to look for in a book, reputable publishers, Web sites that list books, what to avoid, and classic titles.

• drkoop.com (http://www.drkoop.com)
  C. Everett Koop, former Surgeon General of the United States, created this Web site to "empower consumers to become active, well-informed participants to better manage their health". Categories of information include Features, Medical Breakthroughs, News, Drug Information, online reference sources, and more.
  

• Health Information (http://health.nih.gov/)
  National Institutes of Health
  Browse or search for a health topic alphabetically or by broader health category. There are also links to research studies, special programs, federal agencies, and more.

• FirstGov for Consumers (http://www.consumer.gov/health.htm)
  Federal Consumer Information Center
  Provides a one-stop site for finding federal government information available online. Categories of subjects important to consumers are available. The health category includes topics such as aging, choosing quality health care, weight control, specific diseases or conditions, insurance, and more.

• Healthfinder (http://www.healthfinder.gov/)
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  A gateway to reliable consumer health information. It includes links to selected online publications, clearinghouses, databases, Web sites, support and self-help groups, as well as government agencies and not-for-profit organizations that produce reliable information for the public.

• HealthWeb (http://healthweb.org/index.cfm)
  A collaborative project between the health sciences libraries of the Greater Midwest Region of the National Library of Medicine and the Committee for Institutional Cooperation. Provides organized, evaluated, noncommercial health-related information on the Internet.

• Quackwatch (http://www.quackwatch.com/)
  Provides current information on health frauds, quackery, and making intelligent health decisions.
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  Local Collections

• Health Information Center (http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/libtmpl.asp?url=/content/libraries/HealthInfo/hic.asp)
  Located at Wheaton Regional Library, this center is a consumer health specialty service of the Department of Public Libraries, Montgomery County, Maryland. Resources include reference textbooks, directories, pamphlets, journals and an extensive circulating collection of books and videos to find answers to questions on a wide range of health topics from wellness to specific disease or conditions.

• Maryland Health - Go Local (http://apps.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/local/maryland/homepage.cfm?areaid=4)
  A service of the Health Sciences and Human Services Library at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, the National Library of Medicine, and the National Institutes of Health, this page provides links to health information specific to Maryland and its counties. You can find local services by location, providers, facilities, services, disease, and more.

• University Health Center (http://www.health.umd.edu)
  On the University of Maryland at College Park campus, this library provides brochures, educational handouts, and links for background information on health issues, health risk appraisals, and major national health Web sites. See Resources tab.
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