Your Health: OnlineYour Health: OnlinePresented at Presented at

Eleanor London Cote St. Luc Public LibraryEleanor London Cote St. Luc Public Library

Oct.29, 2008Oct.29, 2008

Francesca Frati, MLISFrancesca Frati, MLISPatient Information SpecialistPatient Information SpecialistSMBD Jewish General HospitalSMBD Jewish General HospitalHealth Sciences LibraryHealth Sciences Library

Why look for health information?Why look for health information?

Understand what your doctor is telling youUnderstand what your doctor is telling you Participate in your healthParticipate in your health Be a partner with your doctorBe a partner with your doctor Make informed decisionsMake informed decisions

Why look online for health Why look online for health information?information?

Accessible 24/7 from your homeAccessible 24/7 from your home

Free & fastFree & fast

Up-to-dateUp-to-date

Why look online for health Why look online for health information? Cont…information? Cont…

Check multiple sourcesCheck multiple sources

CommunityCommunity Support groupsSupport groups BlogsBlogs

What can you find online?*What can you find online?*

1.1. General interestGeneral interest

2.2. Medical research sitesMedical research sites

3.3. Patient sitesPatient sites

4.4. Disease-specific sitesDisease-specific sites

5.5. Web toolsWeb tools

* Schwartz J. Logging On for a Second (or Third) Opinion. New York Times:Health [Webpage]. September 29, 2008. Retrieved Oct. 22, 2008 from www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/health/30online.html

Medline Plus Medline Plus

Mayo ClinicMayo Clinic

WebMDWebMD

Public Health Agency of CanadaPublic Health Agency of Canada

CiSMeF CiSMeF

1. General interest1. General interest

2. Medical research sites2. Medical research sites

PubMedPubMed

Clinical TrialsClinical Trials

National Center for Complementary and National Center for Complementary and Alternative MedicineAlternative Medicine

3. Patient sites3. Patient sites

Association of Cancer Association of Cancer Online ResourcesOnline Resources

Self-Help Group Sourcebook OnlineSelf-Help Group Sourcebook Online

Information and Referral Centre of Greater Information and Referral Centre of Greater MontrealMontreal

Patients like mePatients like me

4. Disease-specific sites4. Disease-specific sites

Canadian Cancer SocietyCanadian Cancer Society

Heart & Stroke FoundationHeart & Stroke Foundation

Canadian Diabetes AssociationCanadian Diabetes Association

5. Web tools5. Web tools

Drug interaction checkersDrug interaction checkers

Treatment decisionsTreatment decisions

Lab tests Lab tests

Evaluating health informationEvaluating health information

Websites and blogsWebsites and blogs

In the newsIn the news

•It is easy to navigate the website.

•All the links work.

•There is a copyright.

*or blogs

Woodbury, Jeff. New York City: SPAT Artist, 2003.

•You can tell who created the website.

•.edu•.gov•.org

•You can contact the authors.

•The authors provide their credentials.

*or blogs

•The authors are not selling something.

•This symbol: is on the page.

•You can verify the information.

•You can see where the information came from.

*or blogs

Created in 1995, HON is a non-profit, non-Created in 1995, HON is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, accredited to the governmental organization, accredited to the Economic and Social Council of the United Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Nations.

Evaluating web pages

•You can tell who the information is meant for.

•It is easy for you to read and understand the information.

*or blogs

•The information is current (the date is included).

•You can see when the page was last updated.

*or blogs

If you answered to all,

or most of, these questions

then you can probably the information you are getting.

Even if you can trust this

information you should

*or blogs

yes

trust

always ask your doctor for advice.

Evaluating the news

Does the story include references?Does the story include references? Are these references authoritative?Are these references authoritative?

Which study?Which study? Journal name?Journal name? Author?Author? Date?Date?

What kind of study?What kind of study?

Patient and Family Resource Centre Patient and Family Resource Centre (PFRC)(PFRC)

SMBD Jewish General HospitalSMBD Jewish General Hospital

Pavillion A, Room 200Pavillion A, Room 200

PFRCPFRC

LibraryLibrary BooksBooks WebsiteWebsite

ServicesServices InformationRxInformationRx

BooksBooks

WebsiteWebsite

JGH.ca/pfrcJGH.ca/pfrc

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Your doctor says you may be suffering from IBS.Your doctor says you may be suffering from IBS.

She explains what this means and gives you a few She explains what this means and gives you a few suggestions of how to manage the symptoms.suggestions of how to manage the symptoms.

You forget a lot of what she said by the time you get You forget a lot of what she said by the time you get home.home.

You think of some questions you didn’t ask but your You think of some questions you didn’t ask but your next appointment isn’t for a few months.next appointment isn’t for a few months.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

MedlinePlusMedlinePlus Irritable bowel syndrome: tips on controlling your symptoIrritable bowel syndrome: tips on controlling your sympto

ms ms (American Academy of Family Physicians)(American Academy of Family Physicians)

Irritable bowel syndrome Interactive tutorial (National Irritable bowel syndrome Interactive tutorial (National Library of Medicine)Library of Medicine)

IBS diet: can yogurt ease symptoms? IBS diet: can yogurt ease symptoms? (Mayo Clinic)(Mayo Clinic)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

WebMDWebMD Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Health CenterIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Health Center

Should I have tests for irritable bowel syndrome? Should I have tests for irritable bowel syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome: Controlling symptoms Irritable bowel syndrome: Controlling symptoms with dietwith diet

Lab tests- Lab tests- blood testsblood tests

Lab tests- blood testsLab tests- blood tests

Lab tests online Lab tests online

BC Health Guide BC Health Guide

Medication-Coumadin (Warfarin)Medication-Coumadin (Warfarin)

Your doctor has prescribed Coumadin for treating or Your doctor has prescribed Coumadin for treating or preventing blood clots.preventing blood clots.

You would like to know more about the drug and You would like to know more about the drug and potential side-effects.potential side-effects.

You have a headache and would like to know whether You have a headache and would like to know whether there might be an interaction between Coumadine and there might be an interaction between Coumadine and Tylenol (acetaminophen).Tylenol (acetaminophen).

You may be breastfeeding and would like to know if You may be breastfeeding and would like to know if this is a problem.this is a problem.

Medication-Cumadin (Warfarin)Medication-Cumadin (Warfarin)

Canadian drugs Canadian drugs

Drug interaction checkerDrug interaction checker

Medications and breastfeedingMedications and breastfeeding

PFRC DisclaimerPFRC Disclaimer

This information should not be considered as This information should not be considered as medical advice. It is not to be used in place of medical advice. It is not to be used in place of a visit with a doctor, nurse or other healthcare a visit with a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional. If you have questions about your professional. If you have questions about your individual medical situation, please consult individual medical situation, please consult with your healthcare professional. with your healthcare professional.

Thank you!Thank you!

Questions?Questions?