Health
Research Guide
What is a research guide and why should I use it instead of Google?
A research guide is a curated list of websites on a particular topic. If you use the links in a research guide, you can spend more time reading relevant information, and less time evaluating Google results. This is because someone (in this case, Ms. Garman - jgarman@hnhsoakland.org) has already gone to the trouble of identifying resources from reputable and accurate sources. Colleges organize research guides (sometimes called LibGuides) in the same way, to help you find accurate information on your topic more quickly.
There are about 2 billion websites in existence. That's a LOT to sort through. A research guide just organizes a tiny slice of it, in the same way the Dewey Decimal System might organize a few hundred books (out of the billions of books that have ever been published), so that you can easily access the information you're looking for.
Start here, to find BACKGROUND INFORMATION on your topic:
GirlsHealth.gov - Information specifically pertaining to girls’ health. No password necessary.
Health and Wellness Resource Center - A database that includes encyclopedia entries, videos, book chapters and articles. For background information, encyclopedia entries are the best place to start. Through SFPL use Barcode: 21223992690904; Pin: 0521
Mayo Clinic - Trusted medical resource. No password necessary.
Medline Plus - Reliable health information from the National Library of Medicine. No password necessary.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)--https://www.cdc.gov
National Institutes of Health - https://www.nih.gov
Health.gov - https://health.gov/
Harvard Health - https://www.health.harvard.edu/
Kaiser Family Foundation - https://www.kff.org/
Continue your research here:
Free websites:
Mental Health Resources - A list of mental health resources, including 24/7 chat lines and phone numbers. No password necessary.
Sexual Assault & Reproductive Health Resources - A list of hotlines on these topics from sexual health educator Natasha Singh.
Center for Young Women’s Health - Information specifically pertaining to young adult women’s health. No password necessary.
Go Ask Alice! - Have real, anonymous health questions answered by a medical professional. No password necessary.
Databases:
Consumer Health Complete | (EBSCO) - Health and wellness coverage from mainstream medicine to the perspectives of complementary, holistic, and integrated medicine. Includes encyclopedia entries, articles, and more. You will need your San Francisco Public Library card to access this database - if you do not have one, try: Barcode: 21223992690904 - Pin: 0521
Health & Wellness Resource Center | (Gale) - In-depth, authoritative health information from a variety of sources. Includes encyclopedia entries, video, articles, suggested websites and more. You will need your San Francisco Public Library card to access this database - if you do not have one, try: Barcode: 21223992690904 - Pin: 0521