Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

 The mission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is "to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health – through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness for new health threats."

Resources and tools the CDC offer include:

• Diseases & Conditions: ADHD, Birth Defects, Cancer, Diabetes, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Flu, Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, STDs
• Emergency Preparedness & Response: Bioterrorism, Chemical & Radiation Emergencies, Severe Weather
• Environmental Health: Air Pollution, Carbon Monoxide, Lead, Mold, Water Quality, Climate Change
• Life Stages & Populations: Infant & Child, Men, Minorities, Pregnancy, Seniors, Women
• Healthy Living: Food Safety, Bone Health, Physical Activity, Immunizations, Genetics, Smoking Prevention
• Injury, Violence & Safety: Brain Injury, Child Abuse, Falls, Fires, Poisoning, Suicide, Youth Violence
• Travelers' Health: Destinations, Outbreaks, Travel Vaccinations, Yellow Book
• Workplace Safety & Health: Asbestos, Chemical Safety, Construction, Mining, Office Environments, Respirators
• Multimedia Information and Tools
• Data and Statistics
• Information in Multiple Languages

You can find a link to the CDC's website on the UCSF Patient Health Library's Health Information Websites page along with many other health information resources.

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Understanding the Affordable Care Act

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act. The law puts into place comprehensive health insurance reforms that will hold insurance companies more accountable, lower health care costs, guarantee more health care choices, and enhance the quality of health care. The Act will not be implemented all at once. Portions of the law have already taken effect. Other changes will be implemented through 2014 and beyond.

The healthcare.gov website, explains the changes including:

• The strengthening of Medicare
• The reduction of healthcare disparities
• A new Patient’s Bill of Rights 
• A timeline showing when changes will occur

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National Institutes of Health: Online Health Information

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation’s medical research agency and the largest source of funding for medical research in the world. The NIH is made up of 27 Institutes and Centers, each with a specific focus.

The NIH Health Information website contains health information in an easy-to-browse format.

Browse by:

Health topics A to Z
Conditions/diseases
Procedures and therapies
Symptoms
Health and Wellness
Body location/systems
Women's health
Men's health
Seniors' health
Minority health


You can also search the website by keywords, find information about NIH research (read some of the latest research), and subscribe to email updates on over 40 health topics.

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The 27 Institutes and Centers making up the NIH include:

National Cancer Institute
National Eye Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institute on Aging
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Institute of Mental Health
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Find out more about the Institutes and Centers of the NIH

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Did you know?

UCSF received more research funds from the National Institutes of Health than any other public institution in 2009, and received the second largest amount of all institutions nationwide. Read the whole story.

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The Art and Science of Natural Products: Fish Oil, Cranberry Juice, and Probiotics

From the May 2010 NCCAM Newsletter (the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health):

The Art and Science of Natural Products

The use of "natural products" to improve health has become very popular. Shelves at health food stores and supermarkets are full of natural products that claim to improve health. But what do we know about them? Are these "natural" remedies safe and do they work?

NCCAM-funded investigators are studying how natural products might affect health, including three that have attracted public interest and show scientific promise—fish oil, cranberry juice, and probiotics.

Read the full article at http://nccam.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2010_may/naturalproduct.htm.

Want more information? Use the Drugs and Supplements section of MedlinePlus or contact the librarian at the UCSF Patient Health Library for help finding information about the safety and efficacy of natural products.

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UpToDate for Patients: A Unique Resource

UpToDate for Patients provides free access to current information on hundreds of health topics to inform patients and help them share in the decision making process with their healthcare providers.

Similar to the UpToDate information for health professionals, the patient information topics are reviewed every four months based on the recent medical literature. All patient information topics are written and edited by UpToDate's in-house nurse practitioner and physician editors and reviewed by an external physician author and section editor. Thus, their information is current, accurate and evidence-based.

The health topics include an in-depth discussion of the risk factors, causes, diagnostic processes, preventive measures, complications, and recommended treatments for many of the most common conditions. There are extensive references and links to article abstracts.

You can find UpToDate's website on the UCSF Patient Health Library's Health Information Websites page along with many other health information resources.

Need more help? Contact the Patient Health Librarian, by email, telephone, or in person.

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