On this page
Basics
Learn More
See, Play and Learn
Research
Resources
For You
Summary
Millions of consumers get health information from magazines, TV or the Internet. Some of the information is reliable and up to date; some is not. How can you tell the good from the bad?
First, consider the source. If you use the Web, look for an "about us" page. Check to see who runs the site: Is it a branch of the government, a university, a health organization, a hospital or a business? Focus on quality. Does the site have an editorial board? Is the information reviewed before it is posted? Be skeptical. Things that sound too good to be true often are. You want current, unbiased information based on research.
NIH: National Library of Medicine
Related Issues
-
Health Literacy: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Miracle Health Claims (Federal Trade Commission) Also in Spanish
-
Understanding Health Risks: Improve Your Chances for Good Health
(National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Cancer Information on the Internet (American Cancer Society)
- Diet in the News -- What to Believe? (Harvard School of Public Health)
-
Finding Reliable Health Information Online
(National Human Genome Research Institute)
-
Know the Science: The Facts about Health News Stories
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
Videos and Tutorials
-
Evaluating Internet Health Information: A Tutorial from the National Library of Medicine
(National Library of Medicine)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Digital Health Literacy and Web-Based Information-Seeking Behaviors of University Students in...
- Article: Digital Pain Mapping and Tracking in Patients With Chronic Pain: Longitudinal...
- Article: Integrating Genomics and Clinical Data for Statistical Analysis by Using GEnome...
- Evaluating Health Information -- see more articles
Find an Expert
Older Adults
-
Online Health Information: Is It Reliable?
(National Institute on Aging) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Online health information - what can you trust? (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish