Week 7
Health Source--Consumer Edition
In looking at the publications in this database, I noticed that many of them are not peer-reviewed. Many are magazines that one would find at the check-out in the grocery store. Immediately I question the scientific integrity of these sources. That being said, I searched for "diabetes" and went to an article in "Diabetes (0-929661-16-8)", a publication of Medletter Associates with some kind of link to Johns Hopkins medicine.
I read "What is Diabetes," dated January 2011, one of the more recent articles based on the sort by "descending date. I read the article and concluded that it is written at much to high a lexile level for most people. In addition, the language was dense and there were no graphics to help explain the information. The one illustration showed the location of the pancreas in the body but did little to illuminate the relationship between insulin and glucose in the blood stream and cells. I have a pretty decent medical vocabulary, so I didn't need to consult a medical dictionary but I think many would. However, I doubt few would make use of the medical dictionary because another window has to be opened to get to it. With my internet connection it was so slow that I gave up.
Medline Plus
This is a very user-friendly site. The most commonly searched topics are asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and vitamin D. (I figure there are lots of people wondering if they need vitamin D supplements now that the hours of sun light are diminishing.) The information for drugs and supplements is basically what is in the product inserts. However, I do think that the language has been simplified and the organization is such, that FAQ's can be answered by clicking on the hyperlinks at the top of the page.
The information on diabetes is much more accessible. It is clearly written and displayed. It is organized in a logical manner. I clicked on one of the diabetes videos and it was excellent, with colorful graphics that enhanced understanding. Without a doubt, a patron would feel as if his concerns/questions has been answered. If not, he could always rewatch the video or watch a different one.
Finally, I know that the sources of information referenced on Medline Plus are the most reliable in the US., i.e. NIH, Mayo Clinic, National Library of Medicine, etc. I currently have a poster on display with the health books which directs patrons to Medline Plus for current, reliable health information. Even small, "poor" libraries can get patrons quality health information with Medline Plus. A link to Medline Plus on our public access computers should be an easy convenience for us to add for our patrons.
You made an interesting point about peer reviewed journals in Health Source Consumer Edition. I was wondering about the reading level of some of the more scientific resources in that database and the ability of our students to read them but then decided that they could always to Prevention or Natural Health through the publications tab. Now, however, I am thinking that this may make for a valuable web evaluation tool with a compare and contrast exercise. Higher order thinking skills! Thanks for getting me thinking along these lines and for pointing that out.
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