LibGuides: Health and Wellness: Home

Introduction

Getting started on your search for health information can be overwhelming.  Often, entering a term in a general search engine can result in hundreds of hits.  How do you sort the wheat from the chaff?  Here are a few criteria you can use to evaluate websites for good information -  

Who sponsors the website? - Can it be easily identified? 
Who is the author(s)? - Is it clearly stated? What are their credentials? 
How often is the site updated? - Health information changes rapidly.  A healthcare website should be updated frequently to stay abreast with current information.  The latest update is often listed at the bottom of the page.  
Is the information accurate?  Does the author cite studies to back up their information?

Bias/Objectivity - Does the information portray just one point of view? Is there advertising on the site?  Can you clearly delineate information from advertising?

Health websites

Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Central Pennsylvania Sickle Cell Council
To use financial, political and clinical influence to support patients, families and caregivers affected by Sickle Cell Disease through advocacy, and increased public awareness in our 26 county service area.
Clinical Trials
A database of privately and publicly funded clinical studies conducted around the world.
Daily Med
Learn more about the drugs you take
Healthfinder
learn about where you can go for health services
Medline Plus
A good place to start for general information about any health topic.
National Eye Institute
America's leader in vision research
National Institute on Aging
Information about health topics for Seniors
The State of Health Equity in Pennsylvania - 2019
The Pennsylvania Department of Health looks at the factors showing the disparity of healthcare in Pennsylvania and our future to 2030.
WebMD
A wide variety of health resources as well as places to go to search for services
What did My Doctor Say?
Translates into more common phrases what the doctor said

AIDS INFO
HIVinfo is an online resource offering up-to-date HIV/AIDS information to the general consumer, people with HIV/AIDS, people recently diagnosed and those who care for them.
HIV Basics -CDC
Avert

National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD)
is committed to the identification, treatment, and cure of rare disorders through programs of education, advocacy, research, and patient services.
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center
GARD offers reliable information on rare diseases.
Genetics (MedlinePlus). National Library of Medicine
Find consumer-friendly information about the effects of genetic variation on human health

COVID-19

Center for Disease Control (CDC)
The site to get the latest information about COVID-19
Pennsylvania Department of Health
The state and local information about COVID-19
Myth busters - World Health Organization (WHO)
Vaccines
How the vaccines work and the different approved companies
Vaccine Locations
Find a location near you for getting the vaccine or booster

African American Children and Mental Health by Nancy E. Hill (Editor); Tammy Mann (Editor); Hiram E. Fitzgerald (Editor)
ISBN: 9780313383021
Publication Date: 2011-07-06
"How does one go about shifting the psychology of a people whose sense of worth, purpose, and potential have been denigrated and disenfranchised for decades? What specific factors conspire to douse African American children's dreams before they reach adolescence? And what can we learn from African American families determined to help their children beat the odds and succeed? This unique two-volume set examines the forces affecting psychological development and achievement motivation in African American children today.
Black Health Matters by Richard W. Walker, Jr.; Ford Brewer (Foreword by)
ISBN: 9780757005077
Publication Date: 2021-08-19
Dr. Richard W. Walker examples the most common problems facing African Americans today--including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, kidney failure, and more--explains the causes, and offers solutions in the form of healthy diet, exercise, nutritional supplements, and other lifestyle changes.
Caring for Equality by David McBride; Jacqueline M. Moore (Series edited by); Nina Mjagkij (Series edited by)
ISBN: 9781442260597
Publication Date: 2018-08-24
"African Americans today continue to suffer disproportionately from heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems. In Caring for Equality David McBride chronicles the struggle by African Americans and their white allies to improve poor black health conditions as well as inadequate medical care--caused by slavery, racism, and discrimination--since the arrival of African slaves in America."--Publisher's description.
Complete Mental Health Directory, 2018/19 by Laura Mars (Editor)
ISBN: 9781682177334
Publication Date: 2018-06-13
This updated edition of the Mental Health Resource Directory includes comprehensive coverage of 22 major mental health disorder categories, from ADHD to Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders, with over 100 subcategories and specific disorders
Essentials of Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Management by Rebecca Katz; Jim Banaski
ISBN: 9781284121476
Publication Date: 2018-03-15
Fit Cities by Karen K. Lee
ISBN: 9780385685320
Publication Date: 2020-01-07
"A public health pioneer is working to save our lives by changing our world. Karen Lee is a force for good around the world, secretly helping people to improve their diets, get in shape and live longer. In the vital but poorly understood world of public health, this Canadian woman is an international superstar. In the early 2000s, she went to the US to head a team of "health detectives" for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By then, smoking was in decline thanks in part to the CDC's efforts and so its attention turned to the next biggest causes of premature death: over-eating and under-exercising
Women's Mental Health Across the Lifespan by Kathleen A. Kendall-Tackett (Editor); Lesia M. Ruglass (Editor)
ISBN: 9781138182738
Publication Date: 2017-03-24
Women's Mental Health Across the Lifespan examines women's mental health from a developmental perspective, looking at key stressors and strengths from adolescence to old age. Chapters focus in detail on specific stressors and challenges that can impact women's mental health, such as trauma, addictions, and mood and anxiety disorders.

The following articles are available as full text from the Power Library. Click on the link to take you there and access the articles with your library card number from your Pennsylvania library.

Triple jeopardy: the joint impact of racial segregation and neighborhood poverty on the mental health of Black Americans. By: Stare, Bryan G.; Fernando, Delini M. Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling. Apr2019, Vol. 40 Issue 1, p17-35. 19p. Academic Search Main Edition. Powerlibrary

Adherence to behavioral recommendations for weight loss and associated psychosocial factors among African American adults. By: Fitzpatrick, Stephanie L.; Brooks, Neon; Bray, Bethany; Stevens, Victor J. Journal of Behavioral Medicine. Oct2020, Vol. 43 Issue 5, p859-864. 6p. 2 Charts, 1 Graph Academic Search Main Edition. Powerlibrary

The role of emotional eating in the links between racial discrimination and physical and mental health. By: Hoggard, Lori S.; Volpe, Vanessa; Thomas, Alvin; Wallace, Ellie; Ellis, Katrina. Journal of Behavioral Medicine. Dec2019, Vol. 42 Issue 6, p1091-1103. 13p. 4 Diagrams, 1 Chart, 1 Graph. Academic Search Main Edition. Powerlibrary

Age and gender differences in the reciprocal relationship between social connectedness and mental health. By: Kiely, Kim M.; Sutherland, Georgina; Butterworth, Peter; Reavley, Nicola J. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology. Jun2021, Vol. 56 Issue 6, p1069-1081. 13p. Academic Search Main Edition. Powerlibrary

Why are so many women depressed? By: Leibenluft, Ellen. Scientific American Presents:1998, p30-35, 6p, 3 Color Photographs. Science Reference Center Presents. Powerlibrary

Save your breath. By Stedman, Nancy. Prevention: Jan2022, Vol. 74 Issue 1, p62-69, 8p, 3 Color Photographs. Gale Health and Wellness. Powerlibrary

Electronic Resources for Various Groups

Black Therapists Rock
The mission is to reverse racial trauma through collective healing
Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
a foundation to eradicate the stigma of mental illness in African Americans. This site has a resource guide that you can search by state for private mental health therapists
Center for Disease Control (CDC) /Minority Health
Programs, articles, and blogs for various minority health issues
Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities: Black or African American Populations
The mission is to accelerate CDC’s health impact in the U.S population and to eliminate
health disparities for vulnerable populations as defined by race/ethnicity, socio-economic
status, geography, gender, age, disability status, risk status related to sex and gender, and among other populations identified to be at-risk for health disparities.
Therapy for Black Girls
Resources for women and girls of color to find resources
Therapy for Black Men
Resources to find therapists for dealing with issues among men of color

Healthy List 2022
a list collected by Judith Miller, member of the Pennsylvania Multi-Agency Black History Month Committee, of businesses in Pennsylvania. This list does not mean it is endorsed by the committee or the State Library

FastsStats for Hispanic or Latino
Health statistics for various life stages and populations
NAMI Compartiendo Esperanza: Mental Wellness in the Latinx Community
90 minute video outlining mental health issues in the Latinx community

Office of Minority Health: Asian Americans (OMH)
The OMH site for Asian Americans and how different diseases manifest themselves in these ethnic groups.

CDC_ LGBTQ Health
This page provides information and resources on some of the health issues and inequities affecting LGBT communities
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health
A wide variety of resources and information broken down by each community

Pennsylvania Gender Transition Guidelines
Guidelines from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania published in 2023

Alder Health
Alder Health Services improves the health and well-being of individuals living with HIV/AIDS and members of the LGBTQ+ communities in South Central Pennsylvania by providing an inclusive and affirming environment that empowers the people we serve.
GLO
We are a community resource center for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults of color, centering the experiences and needs of LGBTQ+ men of color and trans women of color. We provide free and confidential STI/HIV testing on site, virtual therapy, access to PrEP and a variety of other social services. GLO is committed to reducing the community’s HIV viral load by testing and linking individuals to HIV care and prevention.
Central PA LGBT Center
The LGBT Center's mission is to "foster inclusive communities and holistic well-being for LGBTQ+ people through social, educational, and cultural engagement."
World Professional Association for Transgender Health
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), formerly known as the (Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, interdisciplinary professional and educational organization devoted to transgender health. Our professional, supporting, and student members engage in clinical and academic research to develop evidence-based medicine and strive to promote a high quality of care for transsexual, transgender, and gender-nonconforming individuals internationally
Penn State Health - Adult Gender Affirming Healthcare
Penn State Health Internal Medicine provides care for transgender and gender-diverse adults aged 18 years and older in a supportive and safe environment. Primary care clinicians and other health care providers at Penn State Health are trained in gender-affirming care, and they support the comprehensive health needs of transgender and gender-diverse adult patients throughout central Pennsylvania and the surrounding mid-Atlantic region.

Women are involved in their own health and those of their partners and families. Below are some websites that can be accessed for taking charge of your physical and mental health.

women

Center for Disease Control -Women's Health
Various reports on subjects that are specific to women
FDA - Women's Health
various topics from Breast Cancer to Menopause
Medline Plus - Women's Health
Lots of links to visit on health issues for women
Office of Women's Health
An A-Z list of health topics specifically for women
Department of Labor - Federal Resources for Women
Links out to other Federal Agencies on the subject of Women's Health

Mental Health

Mental Health and Microagressions
Marshall University LibGuide to this subject.
Mental Health Quiz
How much do you know about how much your mental health is tied into your physical health?
Mental Health Resources from the CDC
General information on resources for mental health
Mental Health sources from the U.S. Government
a wide range of websites to go to about mental health
National Institute on Mental Health
The main website for mental health information from the U.S. government
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
help with substance abuse and where to go for help on mental health issues. Grants for mental health Programs.

Trauma

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators
Suggestions for Educators
Coping with a Traumatic event
Advice from the CDC about coping with a traumatic event in your life.
Coping with Traumatic Events
The National Institute of Health gives tips in being part of a traumatic event
PTSD in Children
Resources for professionals and parents to recognize PTSD in children and resources to find providers and resources
Understanding Child Trauma
Understanding the signs of signs in children. Also has a link to various resources
Violence and Trauma
The SAMSA talks about dealing with violence and the traumatic effects
When Something Scary Happens - PBS
Daniel Tiger takes you through some things that children can do when something happens.

Talking to your Doctor

The best advocate for your health is you. Below are some of the websites that will help you to prepare for your trip to the doctor.

Talking with your Doctor
Three short videos help people prepare for a healthcare visit. Additional information includes tip sheets with questions to ask the doctor, how to make the most out of a healthcare appointment and links to other helpful information.
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Available in Spanish
Doctor-Patient communication
Articles and worksheets to help prepare for a medical appointment, discuss difficult topics, manage medicines, choose a new doctor, and make plans for help from family caregivers.
Patient Rights
Offers resources that explain a patient’s rights. Topics Include information on privacy, informed consent and getting a second opinion
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also available in Spanish

Health and Wellness

Librarian

Introduction

Health websites

COVID-19

Print Resources

Electronic Resources for Various Groups

Mental Health

Trauma

Talking to your Doctor

Gallery

Applesauce French toast

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Bell Pepper Nachos

Green Pea Salad

Mexican Beef casserole

Winter Crisp

Yogurt Fruit Dip

Black Bean Soup