Written By Julia M.
Getting a new diagnosis from your doctor can be scary, but finding the right information can help you take the next step. Here’s where to start researching medical conditions.
At the Library
The library's catalog is a good place to start your search for books on medical conditions, treatments, and prevention. After typing the name of your diagnosis in the search bar, use the "filter your results by" sidebar to narrow your results to only the most relevant titles:
- Availability - use this to filter for online resources only or books currently on the shelf, available to check out.
- Format - use this to filter by reading preference: books, ebooks, audiobooks, video, etc.
- Titles I can... - use this to filter for: online materials, materials that can be taken home or materials that are for in-library use only.
- Content - use this to filter results to nonfiction only.
- Audience - use this to filter by age appropriateness: children, teens or adults.
- Languages - use this to filter for titles in your preferred language.
For more tips on how best to search the library catalog, watch our video on "How do you use catalog filters?".
Database Searching
- Consumer Health Complete – Covers all areas of health and wellness from mainstream medicine to the many perspectives of complementary, holistic and integrated medicine.
- Gale One File: Health and Medicine – Find reliable information on fitness, pregnancy, nutrition, and much more.
- Salud en Español – Salud en Español provee reportes completos basados en evidencias y fichas de datos relacionados a todos los aspectos de la salud y el bienestar.
- Consumer Reports Online – Get expert reviews and ratings for health, fitness, and food products from Consumer Reports, and read the latest on drugs, hospital safety, and more.
- MedlinePlus – MedlinePlus - Find online health information for patients and their families and friends. It is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Reviewing Health Information
Be careful when looking for health information online, there is a lot of mis- and dis- health information on the Internet.
- Here is a helpful guide from the National Library of Medicine on Evaluating Health Information.
- View a webinar to help you Learn to Discern Health Information from the Center for an Informed Public.
In general, you'll find good health information on websites run by:
- Federal government agencies
- Medical schools
- Large professional or nonprofit organizations. For example, the American College of Cardiology (a professional organization) and the American Heart Association (a nonprofit) and are both reliable sources of information on heart health.
Be skeptical of websites that:
- Sell products or services (the website address will usually end with .com)
- Ask for your personal information
- Don’t make it clear who runs the website (look for an “About Us” page)
If you are unsure where to start looking for information, ask a librarian or your doctor for trusted resources.
Book a Librarian
Not sure where to start with health research? Arrange for a personalized virtual or in-person session with a library professional. We can guide you to information sources for medical questions, but we cannot offer personal advice, interpretation, recommendations, or opinions.
For an answer to a reference or library question without scheduling a Book a Librarian session, contact us by email, chat, text, or phone.
