The internet provides access to an amazing range of medical information. But how do you decide which sources are reliable?
These are some of the web-based resources I'd recommend for readers who want to find additional women's health-related information.
Women's Health
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is the national professional society that publishes the leading journal for my specialty. Through this organization, ob/gyns maintain board certification. This link is to a page that provides a wide variety of information resources written for patients.
The North American Menopause Society provides scientific information about menopause that is accurate, balanced and presented without bias.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation offers educational material about osteoporosis prevention, testing, treatment and support groups.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sponsors a variety of resources related to women's health, including The National Women's Health Information Center. Its National Institutes of Health website has a comprehensive index of topics related to women's health and links to other federal research institutes and centers. Another is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Complementary and alternative medicine encompasses medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine. Many of these therapies have not been evaluated by well-designed scientific studies.
General Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a good resource on infectious diseases, preventive medicine and public health. It has a helpful section for travelers.
The National Cancer Institute is an excellent starting point for up to date information on current cancer treatments and research.
Medline Plus is a good general medical information site sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the National Library of Medicine.
The Mayo Clinic provides a rich source of medical information, including blogs and podcasts.
New England Journal of Medicine is the best general medical journal and one of my primary sources. Because it is a paid-subscription journal, many of its articles are not available to the general public. However, free full versions of articles in the Most Blogged category and Past Issues may be accessible.
Other
For a global perspective, see the World Health Organization. It's worth remembering that in many societies, poverty and discrimination rooted in sociocultural factors disproportionately affect the health of girls and women.
Medical Library Association helps individuals pick what medical websites to use.
Melpomene Institute for Women's Health Research forges partnerships with community organizations in a new model to prevent chronic conditions that burden many ethnic communities. I am proud to have been one of this organization's co-founders.
