1. Your Health: Online Presented at Eleanor London Cote St. Luc Public Library Oct.29, 2008 Francesca Frati, MLIS Patient Information Specialist SMBD Jewish General Hospital Health Sciences Library

2. Why look for health information? Understand what your doctor is telling you Understand what your doctor is telling you Participate in your health Participate in your health Be a partner with your doctor Be a partner with your doctor Make informed decisions Make informed decisions

3. Why look online for health information? Accessible 24/7 from your home Accessible 24/7 from your home Free & fast Free & fast Up-to-date Up-to-date

4. Why look online for health information? Cont… Check multiple sources Check multiple sources Community Community Support groups Support groups Blogs Blogs

5. What can you find online?* 1. General interest 2. Medical research sites 3. Patient sites 4. Disease-specific sites 5. Web tools * Schwartz J. Logging On for a Second (or Third) Opinion. New York Times:Health [Webpage]. September 29, 2008. Retrieved Oct. 22, 2008 from www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/health/30online.html

6. Medline Plus Medline Plus Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic WebMD WebMD Public Health Agency of Canada Public Health Agency of Canada CiSMeF CiSMeF 1. General interest

7. 2. Medical research sites PubMed PubMed Clinical Trials Clinical Trials National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

8. 3. Patient sites Association of Cancer Online Resources Association of Cancer Online Resources Self-Help Group Sourcebook Online Self-Help Group Sourcebook Online Information and Referral Centre of Greater Montreal Information and Referral Centre of Greater Montreal Patients like me Patients like me

9. 4. Disease-specific sites Canadian Cancer Society Canadian Cancer Society Heart & Stroke Foundation Heart & Stroke Foundation Canadian Diabetes Association Canadian Diabetes Association

10. 5. Web tools Drug interaction checkers Drug interaction checkers Treatment decisions Treatment decisions Lab tests Lab tests

11. Evaluating health information Websites and blogs Websites and blogs In the news In the news

12. It is easy to navigate the website. All the links work. There is a copyright. *or blogs Woodbury, Jeff. New York City: SPAT Artist, 2003.

13. You can tell who created the website..edu.gov.org You can contact the authors. The authors provide their credentials. *or blogs

14. The authors are not selling something. This symbol: is on the page. You can verify the information. You can see where the information came from. *or blogs

15. Created in 1995, HON is a non-profit, non- governmental organization, accredited to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Created in 1995, HON is a non-profit, non- governmental organization, accredited to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Evaluating web pages

16. You can tell who the information is meant for. It is easy for you to read and understand the information. *or blogs

17. The information is current (the date is included). You can see when the page was last updated. *or blogs

18. If you answered to all, or most of, these questions then you can probably the information you are getting. Even if you can trust this information you should *or blogs yes trust always ask your doctor for advice.

19. Evaluating the news Does the story include references? Does the story include references? Are these references authoritative? Are these references authoritative? Which study? Which study? Journal name? Journal name? Author? Author? Date? Date? What kind of study? What kind of study?

21. Patient and Family Resource Centre (PFRC) SMBD Jewish General Hospital Pavillion A, Room 200

22. PFRC Library Library Books Books Website Website Services Services InformationRx InformationRx

23. Books

24. Website JGH.ca/pfrc JGH.ca/pfrc

25. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Your doctor says you may be suffering from IBS. Your doctor says you may be suffering from IBS. She explains what this means and gives you a few suggestions of how to manage the symptoms. She explains what this means and gives you a few suggestions of how to manage the symptoms. You forget a lot of what she said by the time you get home. You forget a lot of what she said by the time you get home. You think of some questions you didn’t ask but your next appointment isn’t for a few months. You think of some questions you didn’t ask but your next appointment isn’t for a few months.

26. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) MedlinePlus MedlinePlus Irritable bowel syndrome: tips on controlling your symptoms (American Academy of Family Physicians) Irritable bowel syndrome: tips on controlling your symptoms (American Academy of Family Physicians) Irritable bowel syndrome: tips on controlling your symptoms Irritable bowel syndrome: tips on controlling your symptoms Irritable bowel syndrome Interactive tutorial (National Library of Medicine) Irritable bowel syndrome Interactive tutorial (National Library of Medicine) Irritable bowel syndrome Interactive tutorial Irritable bowel syndrome Interactive tutorial IBS diet: can yogurt ease symptoms? (Mayo Clinic) IBS diet: can yogurt ease symptoms? (Mayo Clinic) IBS diet: can yogurt ease symptoms? IBS diet: can yogurt ease symptoms?

27. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) WebMD WebMD Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Health Center Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Health Center Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Health Center Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Health Center Should I have tests for irritable bowel syndrome? Should I have tests for irritable bowel syndrome? Should I have tests for irritable bowel syndrome? Should I have tests for irritable bowel syndrome? Irritable bowel syndrome: Controlling symptoms with diet Irritable bowel syndrome: Controlling symptoms with diet Irritable bowel syndrome: Controlling symptoms with diet Irritable bowel syndrome: Controlling symptoms with diet

28. Lab tests- blood tests

29. Lab tests online Lab tests online BC Health Guide BC Health Guide

30. Medication-Coumadin (Warfarin) Your doctor has prescribed Coumadin for treating or preventing blood clots. Your doctor has prescribed Coumadin for treating or preventing blood clots. You would like to know more about the drug and potential side-effects. You would like to know more about the drug and potential side-effects. You have a headache and would like to know whether there might be an interaction between Coumadine and Tylenol (acetaminophen). You have a headache and would like to know whether there might be an interaction between Coumadine and Tylenol (acetaminophen). You may be breastfeeding and would like to know if this is a problem. You may be breastfeeding and would like to know if this is a problem.

31. Medication-Cumadin (Warfarin) Canadian drugs Canadian drugs Drug interaction checker Drug interaction checker Medications and breastfeeding Medications and breastfeeding

32. PFRC Disclaimer This information should not be considered as medical advice. It is not to be used in place of a visit with a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional. If you have questions about your individual medical situation, please consult with your healthcare professional. This information should not be considered as medical advice. It is not to be used in place of a visit with a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional. If you have questions about your individual medical situation, please consult with your healthcare professional.

33. Thank you! Questions?