Consumer Health Resources

FREE to Anyone, Anywhere!

These sites provide high quality information on hundreds of medical, health, and wellness topics. Many sites are available in both English and Spanish. 

Be sure to scroll down the page to explore Focused Health Topics. 

If you would like assistance navigating any of these sites, email askalibrarian@clarkson.edu

General Health Resources
What Did My Doctor Say?
Evaluating Health Information on the Web
General Health Resources

These sites have plenty of information on most health and medical topics. 
  • MedlinePlus 
    A great all-around resource from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), this site provides reliable information on many health topics. Available in English and Spanish, with select content in additional languages.  Includes:
    – Easy-to-Read Health Information 
    – NIHMedlinePlus Magazine 
     sign up for free to get this easy-to-read magazine in your email inbox
  • Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
    Find information on the control and prevention of diseases, conditions, injury, and disability as well as information on healthy living.
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
    A part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH is the largest biomedical research agency in the world. This site provides broad and in-depth health information on a wide variety of diseases and conditions. 
    – NIH News in Health & NIH Research Matters
    sign up for free to get these easy-to-read newsletters in your email inbox
  • OMH Knowledge Center: Office of Minority Health
    Provides access to the nation’s largest repository of information dedicated to the health of minority populations within the United States and its territories. Users can access health materials in more than 40 languages. The database identifies print and digital content leading to article, document, journal, and organizational records.
  • The Merck Manual 
    First published in 1899 as a small reference book for physicians and pharmacists, the Manual grew in size and scope to become one of the most widely used comprehensive medical resources for professionals and consumers. The Manual is a collaboration between hundreds of medical experts worldwide, an independent editorial board of peer reviewers, and  editorial staff of physicians and professional medical writers.
  • Your Healthiest Self: Wellness Toolkits 
    These highlight evidence-based tips for living well and improving your health. Published by the NIH.
  • MyHealthFinder
    The federal government’s Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion maintains this  health information site. Visitors to this site will find user-friendly access to fact sheets and answers to frequently-asked health questions. Check out the Browse Topics menu at the top of the page.
  • ClinicalTrials.gov
    Explore thousands of research studies in the 50 states and over 200 countries for potential participation.

What Did My Doctor Say?

How to understand what they are saying:

How to ask good questions and advocate for yourself: 

Evaluating Health Information on the Web

Focused Health Topics

click on the side arrows to open/close topic menus

Drugs, Herbs, & Supplements

Complementary & Integrative Medicine

LGBTQIA+ Specific Resources

  • GLMA: For Patients
    A national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and all sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals. Find a provider and learn about issues to discuss with your healthcare provider as an LGBTQIA+ individual.
  • National LGBTQUIA+ Health Education Center
    The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center is part of the Division of Education and Training at The Fenway Institute, which is an interdisciplinary center for research, training, education, and policy development that works to ensure access to quality, culturally affirming medical and mental health care for traditionally underserved communities, including LGBTQIA+ people and those affected by HIV/AIDS.
  • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health (CDC)
    The Centers for Disease Control provides information, data, and resources that are tailored to LGBTQ health.
  • LGBTQ+Health
    Information from MedLinePlus/National Library of Medicine on specific health concerns of LGBTQ+ individuals and resources to better understand gender identity and sexual orientation. 
  • Transgender Health and Well-being
    Resources from Johns Hopkins Medicine. 
  • National Center for Transgender Equality
    Understanding your rights related to health care. 

Healthy Eating

Cancer

  • Resources for Patients. National Cancer Institute
    Learn about cancer basics, diagnosis, treatment, and managing care. LiveHelp online chat is available. 
  • American Cancer Society
    Get information on a variety of cancer topics, including understanding your cancer diagnosis and finding and paying for treatment.
  • CDC Cancer Prevention and Control
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s cancer information page. Includes sections on prevention, data and statistics, survivorship, publications and new research, among others.
  • MedlinePlus Cancer Index
    The index to the Medline Plus articles relating to cancer. Provides introductory articles along with more indepth ones. Provided and maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  •  Patient and Caregiver Resources. National Comprehensive Cancer Network
    The NCCN is a non-profit alliance of many of the world’s leading cancer centers. Covers every aspect of a cancer diagnosis. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients provides patient treatment guidelines for specific cancers that are based on the same treatment information your doctors’ use. Available in multiple languages.
  • Recommended Websites for Cancer Information
    A list developed by the Medical Library Association Cancer Librarians Caucus. General information for patients & caregivers as well as information for special population groups. 

Diabetes

  • Diabetes
    From MedLinePlus. Learn more about what diabetes is, how to live with it, how to manage it, and what research is being done about it. 
  •  American Diabetes Association (ADA)
    The ADA offers helpful resources on General Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes including tools to know your diabetes risk, living better with diabetes and becoming a diabetes advocate.
  • National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases
    Part of the National Institute of Health, health information page. Provides statistics, information on clinical trials and links to other informative sites.
  • CDC: Diabetes Public Health Resource
    The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s page on diabetes. Contains general information, educational publications and resources, statistics and news.
  • Diabetes Action
    A non-profit organization committed to the prevention and treatment of diabetes and to the funding of innovative, promising research aimed at finding a cure for diabetes and diabetes related complications.

Heart Health

  • CDC: Heart Disease
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s page on heart disease. It contains basic information on coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and heart disease.
  • Healthfinder.gov: Heart Health
    How to promote heart health. It covers topics such as diet, activity and lifestyle, and their effect on heart health.
  • MedlinePlus: Heart Disease
    The MedlinePlus index for heart disease. It includes articles ranging from general information to more specific subjects. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • MedlinePlus: Heart Disease in Women
    The MedlinePlus index for heart disease in women. It includes articles ranging from general information to more specific subjects. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
    Science-based, plain-language information related to heart, lung, and blood diseases and conditions and sleep disorders. The site contains articles on diseases, conditions, tests, procedures, and other relevant topics, which you can e-mail, print, and share.
  • American Heart Association
    This organization  has been supporting research and raising awareness of heart disease and stroke for nearly 100 years.  The site offers a variety of resources on understanding heart disease and stroke as well as tools health living. 
  • Go Red for Women
    The American Heart Association’s focused effort on heart disease and stroke in women. 

Mental Health

Medical Testing

COVID-19

Minority Health

  • CDC Minority Health Resources
    The Centers for Disease Control has a minority health information portal that includes links to regional, state, and tribal health resources.

    MedlinePlus offers health information on population groups.

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
    A variety of health resource guides in many languages. 
  • MedlinePlus
  • Minority Health and Health Equity Resources
    Offers many easy-to-use and culturally-appropriate resources on minority health, health disparities, and related topics. These resources are available to view online, print, or share. Some are available in Spanish and other foreign languages.

Senior Health & Aging

Parenting & Children’s Health

  • Positive Parenting Tips Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Age-specific milestones from birth through age 17 along with parenting tips, safety, and health information from the CDC. 
  • KidsHealth & TeensHealth 
    Doctor-reviewed advice on hundreds of physical, emotional, and behavioral topics — from before birth through the teen years. From Nemours Children’s Health Center. 
  • HealthyChildren.org. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
    Range of topics from prenatal to young adult from the American Academy of Pediatrics.  Look for the “Symptom Checker’ under Tips & Tools menu. 
  • girlshealth.gov
    If you are a girl age 10-16, here is a site just for you. Learn how to be healthy and stay healthy as you grow up, and get reliable information on health issues you may face. You can also get tips on handling relationships with family and friends, at school, and at home. Included are message boards, quizzes, interactive games, and other fun stuff to help you deal with emotions, bullying, safety, and much more

Reproductive and Sexual Health

Veteran’s Health