Finding credible consumer health information can be challenging. Many online resources can be misleading or unreliable, especially when it comes to health information.
MedlinePlus® is an online health information resource for patients, and their families and friends. It is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, and part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (MedlinePlus, 2021). MedlinePlus® is an excellent consumer health resource to recommend to patients for credible, trusted information.
MedlinePlus® at a glance
- Information on health topics, such as human genetics, medical tests, medications, dietary supplements, and healthy recipes
- Sourced from more than 1,600 selected organizations
- 40,000 links to authoritative health information in English
(MedlinePlus, 2021)
Features
MedlinePlus® is easy to navigate!
- Use the category tabs located at the top of the page.
Categories include:
- Health Topics — Find alphabetically listed health conditions, symptoms, and treatments.
- Drugs & Supplements — Browse by generic or brand name. Find information on herbs, supplements, prescription drugs, and more.
- Genetics — Learn about genetic conditions and how to understand your own genetics.
- Medical Tests — Browse a list of alphabetically arranged medical tests a doctor may order.
- Videos & Tools — Find health-related videos and tools on anatomy, medical procedures, and more.
- If you know what information you are looking for, simply type your specific terms (for example, ‘knee pain’) into the ‘Search MedlinePlus’ search bar located in the top right corner and click on ‘Go.’ You can refine your results by Type and Format. Formats include PDFs, images, and videos.
- MedlinePlus® supplies trusted COVID-19 information. At the top of each page, under the category tabs, there is a pink alert box. Search COVID-19 information by:
- Latest public health information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Latest research information from NIH
- More information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Tips for evaluating consumer health information
When appraising consumer health information, it is important to keep these things in mind:
- Credibility — Who or what is the source? How current and relevant is the information?
- Content — Is the content accurate and complete?
- Disclosure — Is the data source cited?
- Links — Are there links to other credible information sources to verify the content?
- Design — Is the website easy to navigate? Does the information flow logically?
- Interactivity — Is contact information provided, with feedback options?
(Dalhousie Libraries, 2021)
Use this checklist when searching for health information online.
MedlinePlus® is a trusted consumer health information resource for health professionals and patients. Be sure to subscribe to the My MedlinePlus® Weekly Newsletter to stay connected to new and emerging information. For more guidance and tips on MedlinePlus®, check out the Using MedlinePlus® page. If you have questions, please reach out to Library Services.
References
Dalhousie Libraries. (2021). Evaluation of Health Information on the Web. Retrieved from https://dal.ca.libguides.com/c.php?g=257155
MedlinePlus. (2021). Trusted Health Information for You. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/
Amanda Andrews
Librarian Educator
Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Eastern Zone
It’s a question you may be hearing from your patients these days. The arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in 2020 sparked an increased interest in dietary supplements (Aysin & Urhan, 2021; Hamulka et al, 2021). While the jury’s still out on whether supplements such as vitamin D and zinc can improve a person’s ability to fight off COVID-19, it’s safe to assume some of your patients have added them to their regime—without necessarily knowing the safe dose or of possible interactions with pharmaceuticals.
The Natural Medicines™ database can help you guide your patients in their safe use of dietary supplements. Its monographs and tools such as 'Interaction Checker' and 'Effectiveness Checker' cover thousands of supplements, natural medicines, and complementary and integrative therapies.
Can vitamin D be used as a COVID-19 prophylaxis?
Let's look at vitamin D, one of the supplements currently being studied in clinical trials as a potential COVID-19 prophylaxis. Enter the search term “vitamin D” in the Natural Medicines™ ‘Search’ box and click on the icon.
You can then view the full product monograph (1) or jump to the specific information you need for your patient, such as effectiveness (2) or safe dosage (3).
Using the Interaction Checker
Maybe you want to know if your patient can safely take a vitamin D supplement while also taking a specific pharmaceutical, such as Lipitor®. Rather than scrolling through the ‘Interactions with Drugs’ section of the monograph, you can use the ‘Interaction Checker’ tool.
Enter the name of one of the items you want to crosscheck (such as ‘vitamin D’) in the search box (1). Click on the item when it appears in the ‘Search Matches’ list (2), then click the ‘Add’ button (3) to add it to the ‘Selected Agents’ box. Repeat these steps to add another item (such as Lipitor®) to the list of ‘Selected Agents.’
If there are any potential interactions, they will instantly appear in the ‘Results Summary’ box (4). Natural Medicines™ colour-codes this information so you can quickly see if this is a safe combination (green), a moderate interaction risk (yellow) or a severe interaction risk (red). Click ‘View Details’ (5) for a detailed explanation and the evidence the recommendation is based on.
Natural Medicines™ can also help you:
Reach out to us at AskLibrary@nshealth.ca with any questions you have about Natural Medicines™ or book a consultation with a Library Services team member.
References
Aysin, E., & Urhan, M. (2021). Dramatic increase in dietary supplement use during COVID-19. Current Developments in Nutrition, 5(2, Suppl.), 207. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab029_008
Hamulka, J., Jeruszka-Bielak, M., Górnicka, M., Drywień, M.E., & Zielinska-Pukos, M.A. (2021). Dietary supplements during COVID-19 outbreak: Results of Google trends analysis supported by PLifeCOVID-19 online studies. Nutrients, 13(1), 54.https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13010054
Lana MacEachern
Library Technician
Aberdeen Regional Hospital, Northern Zone