CAPHIS Top 100 » Specific Health Problems
Alzheimer’s Association
http://www.alz.org
Information on living with Alzheimer’s and information for caregivers and health professionals make this the comprehensive site on Alzheimer’s Disease. Fact sheets, information on diagnosis and management, planning ahead, a glossary and extensive Spanish language information as well as some information in Korean and Chinese add to its usefulness. Message boards and chat rooms provide support and additional information sharing.
American Academy of Dermatology-Public Resource Center
http://www.aad.org/public
"Dermatology A-Z" gives extensive information and fulltext of AAD pamphlets on most common skin and nail conditions from acne and aging skin to tanning and tattoos. Includes some pamphlets and information in Spanish, a directory of dermatologists, and Kids Connection section with information for children on skin conditions.
American Dental Association-Public
http://www.ada.org/public/index.asp
Includes extensive information on oral health, cosmetic dentistry, restorative procedures, and even games and animations for children and classroom resources for teachers. A glossary of dental terms, a directory of dentists and a section in Spanish add useful information.
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
http://www.diabetes.org/
Extensive interactive tools add information and interest to this lively website. Diabetes assessment tools, recipes, weight-loss and exercise advice, latest diabetes research and a professional section add additional information. Information about ADA books, a message board, an email newsletter and information in Spanish are also included.
American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org
Extensive information on heart disease and stroke, children’s health, healthy lifestyle, caregiving, a heart and stroke encyclopedia and information in Spanish make this the premier source for information on these conditions. There is also a link to the website of American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, which shares some of the same information on its website at www.strokeassociation.org. Local area events and local chapters are covered and some scientific and professional materials are also available.
American Lung Association
http://www.lungusa.org
This is an excellent site with information on lung diseases, tobacco control, and air quality. Attractive and easy to use, it has special sections on asthma, allergy, treatment, how the lung functions and "Diseases A-Z" on lung disorders. There is a search by zip code for local chapter information, sign-up for a free email newsletter, and some information on current research efforts. A sub-section is available in Spanish.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
http://www.aafa.org
Information, advocacy, research, information on local chapters and support groups and a "Ask the Allergist" email feature make this an extremely useful website. Also included are some multimedia information, a pollen count by zip code feature, and information on clinical trials and new treatments. Some of their patient brochures can be downloaded as well as ordered via the mail (with a few of them in Spanish).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov
The CDC, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, deals with preventing and controlling disease, injury and disability and its website ably reflects this mission. One of the best government websites on the internet, its coverage is broad. Its "Diseases and Conditions" section covers major chronic and many infectious diseases including AIDS, bird flu, common childhood diseases like measles and more exotic diseases like Ebola. Birth defects, traveler's health, emergency preparedness, vaccine and immunization information, accidents and injury information, infectious diseases and workplace safety and health are all covered. The full text of many CDC publications are available as well as extensive public health information of all kinds. Rich in information and colorfully illustrated, it also provides information in Spanish.
Mayo Clinic -- Disease and Conditions A-Z http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/DiseasesIndex/DiseasesIndex
Each topic has sections on the signs and symptoms, causes, risk factors, screening and diagnosis, complications, treatment, and when to seek medical advice. You can sign up for a weekly email newsletter, an RSS feed and a personalized page with automatically updated content. A symptom checker and first aid guide are also included in this section.
MedlinePlus, Health Topics (National Library of Medicine) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthtopics.html
A directory to the most reliable sources of information on health and disease on the internet, this is often the place to start your search for health information. Frequently updated, it lists webpages with information on diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials and more. There are often interactive tutorials, links to major organizations, suggestions on other related conditions, and a link to a pre-formatted search of the medical literature on each page. Spanish versions of each page can often be found by clicking the español button at the top.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
http://www.cancer.gov
Extensive information on types of cancer, treatments, coping with cancer, a dictionary of cancer terms, the NCI drug dictionary, cancer statistics, clinical trials, cancer prevention, genetics, and fulltext of NCI fact sheets form this important website. There is a link to PDQ (Physicians Data Query) which is NCI's comprehensive databases of cancer information and treatment for physicians. A telephone help line, live online chat service and email help support the extensive information found here. Information is also available in Spanish.
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/index.htm
The NDDIC site has an A to Z list of digestive disease topics and titles illustrated with drawings, statistics, list of clinical trials, links to patient organizations, and government agencies & resources. Special sections of easy-to-read information and information is Spanish are included.
National Eye Institute Health Information (NEI)
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health
A diagram of the eye, glossary of eye-related terms, fact sheets and some videos on eye diseases and condition and eye organization database make this site especially useful. Tips on finding an eye care professional and on financial aid for eye care, as well as information in Spanish, add to this site’s usefulness.
National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute (NHLBI)
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
NHLBI site provides extensive information on conditions that affect the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and blood and on sleep disorders. Health assessment tools, educational tutorials and recipes provide useful additional information. Full text color versions of data fact sheets are also available. Information for healthcare professionals is included.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
Health and Human Development information made available with an easy A to Z list, clinical trials and health education campaign information available. Topic pages provide links to clinical trials, news releases, publications and related websites for further viewing. Also available is information on research being conducted at NICHD and supported by NICHD.
National Institute on Aging
http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Information and tips on healthy aging, care giving, medications, dietary supplements, and diseases. Resources are available in both English and Spanish. Copies also are provided in PDF format where applicable. Print versions are available for online ordering. Health and aging organization database lists more than 300 national organizations that provide help to older people. A drop-down menu provides subject areas to search for information on how to contact these organizations.
National Institute on Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
http://www.niams.nih.gov/
An alphabetical index in English and Spanish for easy to find fact sheets on specific conditions and disorders with PDFs available. Publication Dates and revised dates are made available to ensure up to date information. Links to clinical trials and journal articles are also available.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Health Information
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/index.cfm
This site provides information about the signs and symptoms, treatment and resources available for mental illnesses. Full text of booklets and pamphlets on mental illness can be downloaded or printed. The latest news on mental illness, help in locating services, a link to clinical trials and pre-formatted Medline searches for the latest information add to the usefulness of this site. While the site isn’t in Spanish, many of the booklets and pamphlets are available in Spanish and a link to information on MedlinePlus in Spanish is provided.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stoke (NINDS)
http://www.ninds.nih.gov
Extensive information on neurological disorders is provided at this website. The Disorders Index provides an alphabetic list of hundreds of neurological conditions, their treatments, prognosis, clinical research and contact information for organizations concerned with the condition. Clicking on the link to research literature under each condition leads you to a PubMed search on the condition. An accessible version of the web page is also provided. A news feed, list of patient resources and organizations and Spanish versions of some fact sheets on disorders can also be found at the NINDS website.
National Stroke Association
http://www.stroke.org/
This site provides excellent information on the symptoms of stoke, risk factors, prevention and recovery. Information specifically for women, for men, for African Americans, and caregivers and families as well as medical and EMS professionals is provided. Full text of the consumer publication Stroke Smart and NSA pamphlets are available, as well as sign up for a free subscription. Some fact sheets are available in English, French and Spanish.
Your Orthopaedic Connection (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/
Colorfully illustrated patient information is presented by body site and by category. Information on injury prevention, osteoarthritis, sports and exercise, joint replacement and tumors are covered thoroughly. Extensive Spanish language factsheets are provided as well as some information in Japanese, Portuguese, and Thai. A directory of orthopaedists by name, city, zip code and country is provided.