Last major update: November 1, 2009
Locating Reliable Health Information on the Internet
A presentation by: Business and Health Sciences Centre, Toronto Public Library
See our upcoming events page for dates of upcoming classes and more details about our programmes.
Introduction
Medical information in the past was not intended for the general public: only medical professionals were expected to understand it. Doctors told patients what they thought they needed to know.
In the past 30 years, however, people have come to expect that they have the right to understand their healthcare decisions. Health information written for the general public, as opposed to medical professionals, is called consumer health information.
Internet publishing has meant that it is easier and less expensive to publish information, including health information, and so a wide range of consumer health information is now available. However, the unregulated nature of the Internet also means that not all of the information you might find is trustworthy or reliable.
As a consumer of health information, YOU must take the responsibility to ensure that what you are reading is trustworthy. Decisions regarding your healthcare should always involve consultation with a trusted healthcare practitioner: only personal contact with the qualified healthcare practitioner of your choice — who knows your health history, who can examine you, and who can bring expertise and experience to bear on your situation — can yield advice about how you ought to handle any of the information you obtain from sources accessed through this service.
Goals of this session
In this session you will learn how to:
- evaluate health resources for accuracy and reliability
- identify and use appropriate resources to answer your health questions
- get more help if you need it
Where can we look for information?
This section provides background information that may be useful in understanding how people look for health information on the Internet, who publishes information on the Internet, and what types of information they publish.
Finally, we have linked to information that tells you a bit of basic information about the Internet itself, and how to search it.
- How do Canadians find health information?
- Who publishes health information?
- What kind of useful information can you find on the Internet?
- What if I don't know anything about the Internet?
- Copyright: How can I legally use what I find?
How do we know we can trust what we find?
The Internet is a valuable resource for finding health information. There are many reputable web sites on the Internet but remember, it is largely unregulated — anyone can post a site. This means that consumers have to be very careful in evaluating what they find on the Internet.
Always check any information you find on the internet with your health care practitioner. Even if the information may be correct in general, it may not apply to you in particular.
Website evaluation
With so much online information available, YOU must take responsibility for making sure the information you find is correct. Before trusting information, particularly on the Internet, you must ask yourself a number of questions.
Remember, always check with your health care practitioner before following any health advice.
Reliable websites for health information
The listings on this site are not comprehensive nor does inclusion imply endorsement by either Business and Health Sciences Centre or the Toronto Public Library. These resources are intended to be a starting point for further research. The Business and Health Sciences Centre is not responsible for choices made by individuals. Please consult with your health care provider(s) about the diagnosis and treatment of specific medical conditions.
