Amidst the coming candy frenzy, October is Health Month. So with a nod to health awareness, this week’s database highlight is Consumer Health Complete [1]. With patients/laypeoples' needs in mind, Consumer Health Complete provides information in clear language through an easy-to-discover interface. Members can browse or use the keyword/topic search for books, pamphlets, news, drug information and more. There’s even a section for alternative medicine!

Consumer Health Complete supports the information needs of patients and fosters an overall understanding of health-related topics. This resource provides content covering all key areas of health and wellness, from mainstream medicine to the many perspectives of complementary and holistic medicine. – from the vendor

Medline Plus [2] has long been an excellent source for consumer medical information. In a Dr. Google world, this open site is from the National Institute of Health along with the National Library of Medicine so you know it can be trusted. The site’s real gem is the video section. Anyone facing a surgery or wanting to learn more about the anatomy of a condition will want to take a look.

Action Steps

• Look up a disease or condition on Consumer Health Complete [1]
• Watch a Medline Plus video [3]
• Since members are often hesitant to approach library staff about medical information (especially for themselves), in the comments, list one way you might connect a member to the information.

Free Ebsco sticky notepad for anyone who responds!