finding reliable health information
TRANSCRIPT
RELIABLEHEALTH INFORMATION
By Dawn O’Bar
Health Resource CenterCoordinator
WHERE DO YOU FIND HEALTH INFORMATION?
FREE INTERNET TRAINING AVAILABLE!
SANSUM CLINIC HOME PAGESANSUM CLINIC HOME PAGE
Health Info
On the Web
Different Search engines provide different results
• www.ask.com• www.google.com• www.healia.com
Tips on safe surfin’• Find out who is running
the web site• Find out if the
information presented is written or reviewed by a qualified professional
• Find out if the company is trying to sell something.
• Check the date.• Guard your privacy
Safe surfin’ (continued)• Look for sites that end
in domain names, .gov .org or .edu
• Become a Cyber skeptic
• Beware of giving out personal information.
Assessing Studies• Again, also be a study “skeptic”• Who sponsored the study?• How many people participated in the
study?• Was it an observational study or a
clinical trial?• Is it the only study that has produced
that outcome? • Is it a double blind study?
EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINEVS.
ANECDOTAL
•Does it sound too good to be true?
•Be careful of questionable assumptions!
? Questionable assumptions ?• If it doesn’t hurt me, it’s OK• When I see the term ‘natural’, it means
that the product is safe and healthful• A product is safe when where is no
cautionary information on the product label
• A recall of harmful product guarantees that all such harmful products will be immediately and completely removed from the marketplace.
STATISTICS• “Approach a medical
statistic the way you approach tomorrow’s weather prediction. You may take your umbrella, but you won’t be surprised if it doesn’t rain.”
• From Making Informed Medical Decisions, by Oster, Thomas & Joseff
OTHER RESOURCES for more health/medical
information
• Print: periodicals, newsletters, journals
• Non-profit organizations• Blogs• Consumer health centers
HOW to get the best care!• Write down questions beforehand• Keep a diary• Maintain an up-to-date list of everything
you take• Write down what the doctor says• Know your personal and family medical
history• Be honest about your lifestyle• Ask the doctor if he uses email • Get an independent second opinion
HEALTH INFORMATION
Health information is available everywhereUse your skills to assess the quality and reliability of health informationBe a skepticBecome your own healthcare quarterbackSeek the help of others
