Guide to Finding Health Information

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Introduction

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

Module 4

Module 5

Module 6

 

UMD Libraries Databases

 

To find full text of articles, search the following databases available also in Database Finder Links to an external site. through the UMD Libraries web site Links to an external site. (click on Find Databases tab to get started).

Looking for a specific journal or article? Check Journal Finder Links to an external site., and/or Citation Finder Links to an external site..

Begin with:

• Academic Search Ultimate Links to an external site. is multi-disciplinary database providing information for nearly every area of academic study. Video tutorials Links to an external site.
• CINAHL Links to an external site. covers nursing, biomedicine, health sciences librarianship, alternative complementary medicine, consumer health and allied health disciplines.
• PubMed Links to an external site. comprised of citations for biomedical literature from Medline Links to an external site., life science journals, and online books.  Video tutorials Links to an external site.

Explore further:

• BioMed Central Links to an external site. is an STM (Science Technology and Medicine) publisher of peer–reviewed open access journals. 
• Environmental Science Collection Links to an external site. covers all aspects of environmental sciences. Video tutorials Links to an external site.
• POPLINE Links to an external site. is the world's largest database on reproductive health. Search Tips Links to an external site.
  
• ScienceDirect Links to an external site. contains electronic book and journal titles covering the fields of science, technology and medicine.  Video tutorials Links to an external site. 
• Web of Science Links to an external site. is a multidisciplinary database.

Doing research off-campus? Try out the UMD Libraries reload button ! Add the button to your browser's bookmark toolbar (see instructions here Links to an external site.), and whenever you come across a journal you think you should be able to access, click the button to reload the page through the UMD Libraries proxy.

Federal Web Sites

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Links to an external site. for health statistics, travelers' health guides, information on diseases, and health topics. 
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Links to an external site. homepage for background and regulatory information about treatments, food and cosmetics, and radiological health.
• Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) Links to an external site. for dietary guidance information for health or disease control.
• US Preventive Services Task Force Links to an external site. for recommendations from an independent group of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine.
• Healthfinder.gov Links to an external site. for consumer health information and tools.
• USA.gov Links to an external site. for links to more government health information.            

For more health web sites, click here Links to an external site..

Evaluating medical/health information on the free Internet:

• MedlinePlus Evaluating Internet Health Information Links to an external site. Video tutorial (National Library of Medicine)
• How to Find Good Information Online Links to an external site. Podcast (AHRQ: Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research)

Health and Medical Statistics

To find statistics, check Health and Medical Statistics Links to an external site. guide.

Keep in mind that sources used to compile health and medical data include:

• Clinical studies - prospective and retrospective
• Medical literature (journals)
• Hospital discharge records (National Hospital Discharge Survey)
• Government records showing amounts spent on Medicare and Medicaid
• Insurance company records
• Censuses
• Death investigations by coroners and medical examiners
• Surveillance by public health departments and universities
• Reports from clinics, hospitals, doctors, and other healthcare practitioners by the Centers for Disease Control and other health-related agencies
• Sampling and surveys by the National Center for Health Statistics and other agencies
• Disease registries
• Interviews

Questions?

If you need assistance with developing your research question or finding resources for your topic, contact your librarian:

Nedelina Tchangalova, Public Health Librarian, nedelina@umd.edu