1. Finding Reliable Health Information on
the Internet
Overview of MedlinePlus.gov
Christine Caufield-Noll, MLIS, AHIP
Community Health Library
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Summer 2012
2. Where is the first place you go on
the Internet for health information?
3. When looking for reliable, high-
quality health information on the
Internet, the first place to start is…
4. MedlinePlus information is…
• Accurate • Easy to use
• Current • Mirrored in Spanish
• Reliable • No ads
• Reputable • FREE – no login or
• Written by health registration required
professionals
• Available 24/7
6. Health topics page
There are
four ways to
search
health topics:
1. Body
4
locations/
systems
2. Broad
3
categories
3. A-Z index
4. The
search box
1
2
17. Example: Nexium
Click on the
link for
Nexium
In this
case, the
link is cross
referenced
with the
drug’s
scientific
name, Eso
me-prazole
18. Example: Nexium
This
information
is like that
which you’d
get from the Print icon
pharmacy
Use the
main menu
to navigate
the page
Use the print
icon to print
the
information, i
f desired
38. Transition to Videos & Cool Tools
Go back to
the top of the
page and
click on the
Videos &
Cool Tools
button
39. Videos & Cool Tools
Click on
interactive
tutorials
These are
slideshows
with audio
on a
number of
conditions, t
ests and
wellness
topics
They also
have
printable
summaries
43. Videos & Cool Tools
The text
summary is
written in
plain
language
and often
includes
illustrations
44. Thank you!
Please call Christine at
410-550-0681 or email her
at ccaufie1@jhmi.edu
if you have any questions
Editor's Notes
Related topics on the right
NIH link and Languages on the right
Example: Nexium
Use the How effective is it link to jump to a section that will tell you if the supplement or herb has been shown to help various conditions (per medical research)
Definition opens in a new window. If you were to click on the red speaker icon, you would hear the word pronounced