Using MedlinePlus for Health Science Research

Free, Authoritative Medical Source for Academic Health Information

Mar 23, 2009 Heather Marie Kosur

MedlinePlus is a free and authoritative source that academic researchers can use to find information in the health sciences.

Academic researchers often struggle to find sources of information that are both free and authoritative. Authoritative information is defined as information of verifiable origin from a source that is worthy of acceptance as true or factual. Although a myriad of free health information is available on the internet, most websites (particularly those with .com domain) are not considered authoritative. MedlinePlus, however, is both a freely available and authoritative source for health science information.

About MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus is a free online health information dictionary and encyclopedia maintained and disseminated by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. The source contains extensive and authoritative information on health topics including diseases and medical conditions, drugs and supplements, and medical test and treatments. MedlinePlus is updated daily to provide the most accurate and up-to-date health information available.

MedlinePlus Content and Sources

MedlinePlus provides access to the A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia, which contains over four thousand articles on health information such as diseases, symptoms, and surgeries. The source similarly contains an encyclopedia of drugs, supplements, and herbals from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Food and Drug Administration. Researchers can also look up spellings and definitions of medical terms through the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary. MedlinePlus finally provides links to additional external websites that meet the MedlinePlus Quality Guidelines on over 750 health topics.

Searching MedlinePlus

Health science researchers can begin searching for information on MedlinePlus by browsing the Health Topics section. The Health Topics section is divided into five browseable categories: Body Location/Systems, Disorders and Conditions, Diagnosis and Therapy, Demographic Groups, and Health and Wellness. Researchers may also search for health information by browsing all of the Health Topics in the comprehensive, alphabetical index.

Researchers can similarly browse for information on prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbs, and supplements in the Drugs, Supplements, and Herbal Information section. The Drugs, Supplements, and Herbal Information section is divided into two sections, the first section for information on medications and the second for information on herbs and supplements. Researchers can browse the sections alphabetically by the first letter of the drug, herb, or supplement.

The Medical Encyclopedia is also alphabetically browseable by the first letter of the medical or health topic. For topics with more than one related term, MedlinePlus provides hyperlinked suggested terms from which the user can choose. Each health topic in the Medical Encyclopedia includes such information as definitions, symptoms, treatments, and references. Each entry also provides the user with advice on when to contact a medical professional.

In addition to browsing for health information in the individual features of MedlinePlus, researchers can also search the entire source for all available information. The search box is prominently located at the top of the MedlinePlus homepage as well as at the top of all other webpages. Researchers simply type keywords into search box and click the Search MedlinePlus button. For users with questions about or problems with searching, researchers can consult the MedlinePlus Search Tips webpage, a link to which is available at the top of every search results list.

Academic researchers searching for information in the health sciences often encounter difficulties in locating both free and authoritative sources. MedlinePlus, however, is a source available from the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health that provides researchers with freely available and authoritative health information.

The copyright of the article Using MedlinePlus for Health Science Research in Academic Writing is owned by Heather Marie Kosur. Permission to republish Using MedlinePlus for Health Science Research in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Performing Health Science Research on the Internet

Comments

Mar 24, 2009 5:50 PM

Guest :

Medline Plus is great! I had been using only MedRX but after reading your article I headed over to the site and I must admit its much easier to use and allows for "Higher Level" research.

1 Comment: