Health Resources

Medicare Help | Aging | Diseases and Conditions | Drugs | Exercise and Fitness | General Sites | Mental Health | Nutrition | Organizations | Research

Health Info Net of Alabama - find healthcare providers and resources by locality
Mobile Health Care and Hospitals - find local resources

Medicare Help

Medicare.gov - Info about Medicare, the Prescription Plan, etc. Be sure to register with My.Medicare.gov to have access to personalized information regarding your Medicare benefits and services.
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder - an interactive tool to help you pick a the best plan for you.
AARP Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage: Your Questions Answered.
Consumer Reports Advice on the New Drug Plan
Stand-Alone Prescription Plan Options in Alabama - This PDF document gives detailed information on Stand-Alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plans such as deductibles and drug plan premium rates for Alabama organizations.
Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans - This PDF document gives detailed information on Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans such as deductibles and drug plan premium rates for Alabama organizations.
1-800-AGE-LINE (243-6541) offers counseling services to people on Medicare and families. (State Health Insurance Assistance Program)
The Area Agency on Aging of the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission - call Dolores White at the Mobile Office (251) 433-6541 for help with enrollment.

Aging

AgeNet - Info about the aging process

Diseases and Conditions

General Resources

Broad, general resources on diseases and conditions

Coping with Disasters - a great page of links from the National Library of Medicine
DIRLINE - is an online directory resource for locating health and biomedical organizations offering information, referral and support for various diseases and conditions.
Medline Plus - a great site for drug, disease and health information, articles, tutorials etc. From the National Library of Medicine
Mayo Health - an excellent site for easy to understand info on diseases and conditions, drugs and supplements, treatments and healthy living
The Merck Manual Home Edition - Over 200 leading medical experts have written this resource for the layperson who is seeking accurate, up-to-date, yet understandable medical information.

AIDS

worldAIDSday.org (December 1st) - "...features information on AIDS awareness and activism; facts and figures about the virus, the disease, and its global effects; and the latest AIDS/HIV related news, press releases, and event information."
AIDS info

Allergy

AllerNet - good allergy info

Back and Spine

Back Pain Resource Center - info on a variety of alternative back pain treatment options
Low Back Pain - features an excellent list of low back exercises with diagrams
Spine-health.com - offers solid information on back pain treatment and relief
Spina Bifida Association of America
Non-Surgical Treatment for Back Pain

Cancer

American Cancer Society
Komen Breast Cancer Foundation - the site on the web for detail on breast cancer and treatment
Cancernet - Info on detecting, treating, and coping with cancer
Center Watch - a searchable site listing clinical trials for new treatments
Clinical Trials - search or browse a huge list of clinical trials in medical research
Oncolink - cancer issues from screening and finances to support and clinical trials

Diabetes

CDC: Diabetes Public Health Resource

Heart

American Heart Association - Learn about the warning signs of Heart Disease and Stroke, Exercise Programs, and Nutrition
American Heart Association Women's Site - a good selfcare guide and risk analyzer

Stress

West Nile Virus

Drugs

LactMed - search the National Library of Medicine's new database of drugs and their effects on breast feeding
Ozanam Charitable Pharmacy - Provides free prescription medications to people who have no other means of securing their medications. Only NON-NARCOTIC prescriptions will be considered. Assistance is based on the availability of the medication, and the ability of the applicant to provide documentation of financial need. Applicants must present proof of income, social security numbers for everyone in their household, copies of utility bills, the actual paper prescription or a current prescription label from a retail pharmacy.
Directory of Prescription Drug Assistance Programs - a new interactive site to help low-income people find assistance with prescription drugs
Buying Medicines and Medical Products Online - tips and warnings for consumers thinking of buying prescription or over-the-counter drugs online from the U.S. Dood and Drug Administration
Medline Plus - a great site for drug, disease and health information, articles, tutorials etc. From the National Library of Medicine
Canadian Pharmacies - Are they safe, are the legal? Here are some resources from AARP:
- Prescription Drug Re-Importation Question and Answer Sheet
  AARP Public Policy Institute - September 2003
- Letter to Representatives Emanuel and Gutknecht on Prescription Drug Re-Importation
  William D. Novelli, AARP Executive Director and CEO - August 6, 2003
- AARP Bulletin articles on Buying Prescription Drugs in Canada:
  Drugs From Canada? FDA Chief McClellan Leaves Door Open If Safety Is Assured
  By Barbara Basler and Susan L. Crowley
  AARP Bulletin, September 2003
- Why Drugs Cost Less Up North: Important Differences in American, Canadian Systems Produce Big Price Disparities
  By Patricia Barry
  AARP Bulletin, June 2003
- Should Consumers Be Allowed to Buy Drugs from Canada?
  Face Off with Carmen Catizone and Peter Wyckoff
  AARP Bulletin, May 2003
- More Americans Go North for Drugs: 50-Plus Consumers Find Price Relief in Canada; Internet Fuels the Trend
  By Patricia Barry
  AARP Bulletin, April 2003
- Eight Forty-Eight Chicago Public Radio
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
- Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA)

Exercise and Fitness

About.com Exercise - a jumping-off point for fitness
Shape Up America! - assess your activity level, includes Cyberkitchen to help you figure out what to eat to maintain, lose or gain weight

General Sites

America's Doctor - not just the same old info, you can chat with a real doctor
Ask Dr. Weil - a popular site for those interested in alternative medicine
Hardin Meta Directory - a mega site organized by categories.
Health Central - features Dr. Dean Edell and health assessment tools
Healthfinder
Helpline Information and Referral - From emergency situations to the beginning of a long-term program, the HelpLine connects and directs you to the right channels to get you back on your feet. The HelpLine is an anonymous, confidential community resource serving Mobile, Baldwin, Clarke and Washington counties. Volunteers provide information and referrals to community agencies and groups as well a a listening ear, a helping hand and crisis prevention/intervention.
Insure Kids Now - Info on low-cost or free health insurance for your kids!
Medical Library Association Top Ten Most Helpful Websites
MedHelp - a non-profit which focuses on resources for patients and their families
MedHunters - search for jobs in the health care field
NNLM MultiLingual Health Links - From the National Network of Libraries of Medicine - general links and sorted by language
National Women's Health Information Center - info you won't find anywhere else, including minority women's health issues
New York Online Access to Health - a great resource site and one of the few in English and Spanish, a favorite with librarians!
Recalls.gov - get recall info on vehicles, food, medicine, consumer products etc.
QuackWatch
Rosacea Research and Development Institute - an independent research foundation looking for causes and treatments
Resource Guide on Children's Environmental Health
Safe Within - Safety and accident prevention tips
Toxtown - Tracking toxic chemicals and environmental health risks where you live and work.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HealthFinder: Just for You - highlights important topics for a variety of special populations
Veterans' Health Care Info
WebMD - Health info and news
Women.com - maintained by Prevention Magazine and focuses on health and fitness issues from a woman's point of view
HospitalWeb - growing list of U.S. and global hospitals; also provides links to medical companies and f nizations

Mental Health

Encyclopedia of Psychology
Intellihealth - adult health advice, great mental health section
Knowledge Exchange Network - From the Center for Mental Health Services
Online Psych - Resources on mental health: web sites, treament providers, books, online test and more
Mental Help Net - Information on mental and physical conditions that effect mental health

Nutrition

American Dietetic Association - learn to eat right!
The Blonz Guide - a nutrition, food and health resource
The Low Fat Vegetarian Recipe Archive - you don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy this site!
Nutrient Database - searchable database gives you the nutrient content of foods and lets you view foods by ingredient
We Can! - a great nutrition site for Kids and Parents from the National Institutes of Health

Organizations

AMA
Alabama Board of Nursing - get info on nursing degrees, etc.
Alabama Department of Public Health- links to health stats and topics

Research

Centers for Disease Control - stats, fact sheets, news, travel advice
Health Answers - news, articles from Physician's Weekly, a drug database and "health centers" by topic
Mayo Health - an excellent site for easy to understand info on diseases and conditions, drugs and supplements, treatments and healthy living
Medical Library Association
MedLinePlus - From the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health - Health topics A-Z, drug information, directories of doctors and hospitals, news, encyclopedia and new treatments.
Medscape - a popular information site organized by specialties
The Merck Manual Home Edition - Over 200 leading medical experts have written this resource for the layperson who is seeking accurate, up-to-date, yet understandable medical information.
National Institutes of Health - quality umbrella site for information and resources in English and Spanish, including Medline Plus
The National Library of Medicine
PubMed - search Medline for free, also includes Clinical Trials, MedlinePlus, NIH Clinical Alerts and the NLN Gateway
Free Medical Journals - Provides links to over 1,000 medical journals that are available on the Internet in full text for free.