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Health content from the search engine
Recently, the line between health directories and
search engines has become blurred as more search engines offer their own
health content in addition to what might be found searching their index
of the Web. Search engines often contract with health information companies
that provide this information. For example, Lycos and its network member,
HotBot, both use WebMD for health content.
On the plus side, the information is well organized
and easy-to-understand. The downside is that readers seeking more detailed
information may not realize they are getting information from a single
source, rather than accessing the larger Web.
Some search engines that provide their own health
content
Using health directories
For some, health directories may be easier to use
because they have already done a portion of the work for you. At these
sites, real people have preselected hundreds of links to guide you along
in your search.
The oldest and perhaps most comprehensive directory
of health information can be found at the Hardin Meta Directory of Internet Health Sources. Started by and maintained
at the University of Iowa, the site lists directories on three dozen health
subjects ranging from AIDS to toxicology. For each subject, there are
links to 10 to 20 directories, which in turn link to hundreds of related
Web sites, mailing lists and newsgroups.
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MEDLINEplus, the consumer health site of the National Library of Medicine, is comprehensive,
well-organized and recommended by the librarians at the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library at Yale as being particularly good for the lay person.
Healthfinder provides links to government health sites, consumer sites and government publications.
HealthAtoZ offers something for everyone—a search engine that provides links to health-related Internet sites, mailing lists and newsgroups, as well as onsite health categories. The same organization produces
MedConnect geared toward health care professionals.
Galaxy’s medical directory offers links to more medical sites and traditional
organizations as well as some specialized research links. This directory
is geared toward a professional audience.
New York Online Access to Health or NOAH, a consortium of The City University of New York, The Metropolitan New York Library Council, The New York Academy of Medicine and The
New York Public Library provides award-winning health information
for consumers.
MedWebPlus
groups medical information into broad categories such as diseases,
specialties and institutions
Medical
World Search searches MEDLINE (via PubMed) and the major search
engines at the same time. Search results tend to be from government
and university sites.
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Using trusted sources
Since there is such diversity of information, most
people prefer to have health information from trusted sources—their
physician or hospital. Ask your physician for advice on the best Web sites
and look to your local hospital’s Web site. Hospitals are increasingly
expanding their offerings of health information on their Web sites.
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