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Choosing a Strategy |
Access Points | Getting Help
| About Medical Terminology
Choosing a Strategy
The strategy you use to access health information is likely to vary
depending on a number of variables, including
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The kind of research you are doing (whether for personal, academic,
or professional purposes)
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The subject you are researching. Different subjects are often found
in different information resources
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How much you already know about a topic
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Your research stage. If you are just starting your research, you
may want to read a general or introductory textbook. At a later stage
you may benefit more from resources that contain more specific information.
Both kinds of resources are important.
The following suggestions are intended to get you started on finding
information related to a disease or other health topic.
For background information or a quick overview:
Reference books (whether online or in print) may contain good background
information to help you start your research. For instance, since Jane is at the beginning of her research about alcoholism, she will want to
use some of the following resources:
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Conn's Current Therapy
HSL Reference -- Call number: WB 300 C976
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Diseases
HSL Books -- Call number: WY 100 D6115
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Griffith's 5 Minute Clinical Consult
HSL Reference -- Call number: WB 39 F565
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The Merck Manual of
Medical Information.The Merck Manual is available both electronically
and in print (HSL Reference call number: WB 130 M555 1997).
Or search the UNC-Chapel
Hill Library Catalog by subject. Most of our collections are
classified (arranged by subject) using the National Library of Medicine
Classification, 5th edition. For a general subject guide, see our NLM
Browser's Guide.
For in-depth information:
Try a text that is specifically about your topic. Look by subject in
the UNC-Chapel
Hill Library Catalog, using a more specific subject heading.
For the latest research or detailed information you didn't find in texts:
As you get more comfortable with your topic you will want to read more
detailed information about it. Articles from journals and consumer information
from the Internet are good options. For example, Rob will find useful
websites about allergy medications in MEDLINEplus. Cheryl will want to
search PubMed and HealthSource for articles about diabetes and exercise.
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MEDLINEplus: Contains accurate, current, medical information. This
includes access to extensive information about specific diseases and
conditions.
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PubMed: The world's largest database of biomedical information, PubMed
provides articles for providers on all aspects of healthcare.
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Health Source, Nursing/Academic Edition: Journal articles related
to patient care, many of which are full text.
Remember, as you look at sources, that you want the most current
information on your topic. Medical information changes quickly!
Access Points for Health Information
Most electronic health resources can be accessed in many different ways.
The following are good access points for many resources.
Getting Help
Can't find what you need? Ask
A Librarian for help! You can contact librarians at the Health Sciences
Library using online chat, email, the phone, or by coming by for a visit.
About Medical Terminology
Words used by health care providers are often different from the words
we use in everyday life. For example, the medical term for cancer is 'neoplasms.'
The resources discussed in this module will help give you a basis for
learning the medical terminology related to your topic.
Top of Page
Introduction
| Accessing Health Information | Using
the Online Catalog |
Article Databases & More | Key Health
Resources | Quiz
Revised August 2005.
© 2005 Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill
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