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Consumer Health Information

Background Information (Encyclopedias and Handbooks)

A Dictionary of Mind & Body: Therapies, Techniques, and Ideas in Alternative Medicine
Location: JPL Reference Stacks R733 .W377 1995

The Encyclopedia of Nutrition & Good Health
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RA784 .R646 1997

The Harvard Guide to Women's Health
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RA778 .C2163 1996

The Human Body: An Illustrated Guide to Its Structure, Function, and Disorders
Location: JPL Reference Stacks QP38 . H7933 1995

The Merck Manual of Medical Information--Home Edition
Free Website: http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/contents.htm
The online Home Edition is divided into 24 sections and 287 chapters. Most of the sections talk about a particular organ group or a medical specialty, and most chapters describe a single disease or symptom caused by a disease. You can also search through the book for a particular topic or keyword at http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/search.htm

The Mosby Medical Encyclopedia, rev. ed.
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RC81 .A2 M67 1992

Prevention's Giant Book of Health Facts: The Ultimate Reference for Personal Health
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RC81 .P857 1990

Take Care of Yourself: The Complete Guide to Medical Self-Care, 5th ed.
Location: JPL Stacks RC81 .V5 1993

WebMD: Medical Library
Free Website: http://my.webmd.com/medcast_channel_toc/1666
Includes Web access to The World Book Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center Medical Encyclopedia as well as information on drugs & herbs, clinical trials, and medical tests.

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Books

Books and Materials at the UTSA Library

UCAT, UTSA Library Online Catalog
Search UCAT to locate books, journal titles (not articles), government documents, maps and multimedia materials available at the UTSA Library. Read the Search Tips to learn how to conduct a better search.

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Books and Materials Elsewhere

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  Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

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Databases & Article Searching

The UTSA Library may not always own the items listed in the resources below. Search UCAT to see if the library owns or subscribes to a particular item.

Academic Universe (UTSA subscription)
Includes a section on medical news and provides access to MEDLINE abstracts. Updated continuously. Full Text

Consumer Health Complete via EBSCO (UTSA subscription)
Provides access to consumer-oriented health information in full-text journals, encyclopedias and reference books, evidence-based health reports, patient drug information (previously included in Clinical Pharmacology), and 500 medical-related images. Topics include aging, cancer, diabetes, drugs and alcohol, fitness, nutrition and dietetics, men's and women's health, and children's health. See Salud en Espanol for a Spanish-language version of the database. Title list | Reference book title list.  Full Text

Global Library of Women's Medicine via EBSCO (UTSA subscription)
Provides access to information on current clinical practices and therapeutic options in women's medicine. The site was developed from the six-volume, encyclopedic textbook Gynecology & Obstetrics first published in 1934. Full Text

MEDLINE via EBSCO (UTSA subscription)
Index of medical literature from the National Library of Medicine. Updated weekly. Citations Only

Health and Wellness Resource Center via Gale (UTSA subscription)
Provides up-to-date reference information as well as full-text magazines, journals, and pamphlets from a wide variety of medical sources. Subjects featured are fitness, medicine, nutrition, diseases, public health, occupational health and safety, alcohol and drug abuse, prescription drugs, and pregnancy, among others. Also features links to pertinent health and wellness internet sites. Includes access to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Coverage: 1980 - present. Full Text/Full Image

Health Reference Center - Academic via Gale(UTSA subscription)
Provides selected abstracts and full text access to a variety of health information sources including 40 nursing and allied health journals, consumer health magazines, reference books, newsletters, health pamphlets, newspaper articles, and general interest titles, from the early 1980s to the present. Full Text/Full Image

Health Source: Consumer Edition (UTSA subscription)
Features full-text articles on health topics such as medical sciences and general health, food sciences and nutrition, childcare, and sports medicine. Included in the database is coverage for more than 150 full-text journals and indexing and abstracting for 180 additional publications. Dates of coverage vary. Updated frequently. Health Source: Consumer Edition is a subset of Academic Search Complete. See also Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Citation Index
Free Website: http://nccam.nih.gov/
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the Federal Government's lead agency for scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). It is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

ProQuest (UTSA subscription)
Provides access to journal articles in a number of databases across all subject areas, with particular strengths in business and the social sciences. Also includes 9 major national newspapers, including Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Complete content of the following databases is included: ABI/INFORM Dateline, ABI/INFORM Global, ABI/INFORM Trade & Industry, Accounting & Tax, Alt-Press Watch, Criminal Justice Periodicals, Ethnic NewsWatch, GenderWatch, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, National Newspapers, and ProQuest Research Library. More than 5,500 titles are indexed and abstracted from at least 1971 to the present. Full text and/or images are available for more than 2,000 titles. Full Text/Full Image

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Arthritis

Arthritis Foundation
Free Website: http://www.arthritis.org/

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Free Website: http://www.nih.gov/niams/
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), within the U.S. Government. Locate information on health, scientific resources, clinical studies, and reports.

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Cancer

American Cancer Society
Free Website: http://www.cancer.org/
Includes patient information about cancer, news and events, alternative treatments, and local offices from the American Cancer Society.

CancerNet: A Service of the National Cancer Institute
Free Website: http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/
CancerNet contains material for health professionals, patients, and the public, including information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention, supportive care and clinical trials.

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Cardiovascular Diseases

American Heart Association
Free Website: http://www.americanheart.org/
The American Heart Association (AHA), a nonprofit, voluntary health agency funded by private contributions, is dedicated to the reduction of death and disability from cardiovascular diseases, including heart diseases and stroke.

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Dental Health

American Dental Association
Free Website: http://www.ada.org
Find consumer information including brochures from the American Dental Association regarding various topics and frequently asked questions.

ADHA: Oral Health Information
Free Website: http://www.adha.org/oralhealth/index.html
Information from the American Dental Hygienists Association on many topics including dental care, potential problems and health tips.

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Drug Information

PDR.net For Consumers
Free Website: http://www.pdr.net/
From the publishers of Physician's Desk Reference, includes a section on drug information.

Physician's Desk Reference: PDR
Location: JPL Reference Stacks & Downtown Library, Reference RS75 .P5

Physician's Desk Reference For Nonprescription Drugs
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RM671 .A1 P48

United States Food and Drug Administration
Free Website: http://www.fda.gov/
The Food and Drug Administration Web site provides links to information about various consumer health-related issues.  Topics include FDA News, Food, Human Drugs, Cosmetics, Medical Devices, and much, much more.

WebMD: Medical Library - Drug & Herb
Free Website: http://my.webmd.com/medical_information/drug_and_herb/default.htm
Provides resources on prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal remedies.

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Skin Care & Cosmetics

Your Skin: from Acne to Zits
Location: JPL Stacks, RL87 .L57 1989

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Further Research (guides, bibliographies)

American Medical Association
Free Website: http://www.ama-assn.org/
"Dedicated to improving the health of Americans by enhancing and strengthening the doctor - patient relationship through active collaboration and participation by doctors and patients as partners in the delivery and receipt of health care." All content is reviewed by medical experts in their respective specialties before publication.

AIDS Sourcebook, 2nd ed.
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RC607.A26 A3573 1999

Alternative Medicine Sourcebook
Location: JPL Reference Stacks R733 .A475 1999

CBS HealthWatch by Medscape
Free Website: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/health/main204.shtml
Provides authoritative medical content written for the consumer as well as access to professional-level content.

The Consumer Health Information Source Book, 3rd ed.
Location: JPL Reference Stacks Z6673 .R43 1990

Consumer's Guides To Getting And Keeping Health Insurance
Free Website: http://www.healthinsuranceinfo.net/
From the Institute for Health Care Research and Policy at Georgetown University Medical Center. Provides consumer guides describing your rights to buy and keep health insurance in each state under "Kassebaum - Kennedy" and other state laws.

Diabetes Sourcebook, 2nd ed.
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RC660.4 .D56 1999

Diet and Nutrition Sourcebook, 2nd ed.
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RA784 .D534 1999

Evaluating Health Information On the Internet
Free Website: http://web.mel.org/viewtopic.jsp?id=559&pathid=1249
From the Michigan Electronic Library. A collection of annotated links to help consumers discern the quality of health information available on the Internet.

FindLaw: Health Law
Free Website: http://www.findlaw.com/01topics/19health/index.html
Provides access to legal information regarding health.

Fraudulent Health Claims
Free Website: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/health.shtm
From the Federal Trade Commission. Guidelines on recognizing and reporting false claims on health products and services.

healthfinder
Free Website: http://www.healthfinder.gov/
Developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "healthfinder can lead you to selected online publications, clearinghouses, databases, web sites, and support and self-help groups as well as the government agencies and not-for-profit organizations that produce reliable information for the public."

HealthLink Plus
Free Website: http://www.healthlinkplus.org/
Developed by the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County.  This site is a good comprehensive consumer health Web site that covers such popular topics as General Health (including Children's Health), finding healthcare providers on the Internet, and other numerous research tools.

InteliHealth
Free Website: http://www.intelihealth.com
Comprehensive and easy to use health reference source from Aetna U.S. Healthcare and Johns Hopkins University and Health System.

Medical Tests Sourcebook
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RC71.3 .M45 1999

MedicineNet.com
Free Website: http://www.medicinenet.com
MedicineNet.com is dedicated to helping consumers make well informed healthcare decisions. The medical and health information is doctor-produced.

MyPyramid.gov
Free Website: http://www.mypyramid.gov/
From the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Provides news, background information, and resources about the USDA food guidance system.

National Institute of Health (NIH)
Free Website: http://www.nih.gov/
NIH, part of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, supports disease research nationwide and throughout the world. Site includes extensive access to health information. NIH also maintains site for Clinical Trials

National Library of Medicine: Health Information
Free Website: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hinfo.html
Provides access to the MEDLINE database. Includes information on health topics by subjects. Particularly useful is MEDLINEplus, which provides access to "hundreds of government and nongovernment publications, brochures, databases, and Web sites in order to link the public with the most reliable and authoritative information."

Office of the Surgeon General
Free Website: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/index.html
The Office is part of the Office of Public Health and Science, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "America's chief health educator, giving Americans the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury." It includes many full text reports including the recent Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General.

Physical and Mental Issues in Aging Sourcebook
Location: JPL Reference Stacks RC952.5 .P48 1999

PDR.net For Consumers
Free Website: http://www.pdr.net/
From the publishers of Physician's Desk Reference, sections include Drug Information, Health News, Medical Dictionary, MEDLINE searching, Getting Well Network, Clinical Trial Information, Bookstore, Information About Doctors, and Magazine Archives.

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
Free Website: http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS4479
The major source of food composition data in the United States which provides the foundation for most public and private sector databases. Contains nutrient data for 7,291 food items for up to 140 food components, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids.

Texas Department of State Health Services
Free Website: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/

Tips For Talking To Your Doctor
Free Website: http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/talktodoc.asp
From the National Eye Institute. Provides useful guidelines for discussing medical information with one's doctor.