Consumer health information is intended for potential or current users of medical services (all of us!). It is designed to be educational, and can help individuals make decisions about health-related behavior and medical treatments. It differs from clinical information – that is, information written by and for medical professionals – in that it is developed with the layperson in mind, involving less technical language and more user-friendly formats. Consumer health information may include resources about prevention, self-care and wellness, diseases and conditions, treatment, health care options, and more.
Smith, S. A., & Keselman, A. (2015). Meeting health information needs outside of healthcare : Opportunities and challenges. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Learn how to evaluate the information you find in order to make informed choices.
There is no shortage of health and health-related information available on the Internet. The challenge for consumers of health information is to locate the best sources to answer their questions. It can easily become overwhelming to sift through thousands of web pages and to have to deal with conflicting, dubious, and even downright dangerous information!
The health information you'll find in this website has been checked and double-checked by Library information professionals, so you can be assured it's of good quality. But what about pages you find on your own? Obviously, we can't link to every site from our page, so instead, we'd rather arm you with the tools you need to evaluate websites on your own.
These links provide lists of questions you can ask yourself as well as things to look for on the website in question, in order to determine its legitimacy and reliability.