Subject Resources

General Information About Consumer Health Degree Programs

Most schools will not offer a bachelor's or master's degree in consumer health per se. However, interested students can get degrees in related fields and focus on consumer health and health informatics. Students can also get certification in consumer health and health informatics from a number of schools. The certificate qualifies individuals for entry-level positions in the area of consumer health.

Consumer Health Degree Study Options

Students can get professional certification consumer health informatics online or at certain physical universities in only a few months. Students interested in pursuing a higher degree can opt for a bachelor of science in health science, nursing or some other related field.

Advanced Consumer Health Degrees

A Bachelors of Science in Health Science will usually take only four years to complete. Students may be expected to take a variety of science and math courses in addition to the regular health curriculum. Graduate degrees in consumer health relevant fields such as public health, health science and pharmacology are also available both at accredited online universities and at brick and mortar colleges and universities.

Master Of Health Science Degree

Students interested in consumer health will often choose to pursue a master of health science degree. Master of health candidates must generally choose a concentration for their studies, and most students interested in a career in consumer health will pursue a bioinformatics or biostatistics concentration, although other concentrations are possible.

Master Of Public Health Degree

The master of public health degree will require students take classes in a variety of health subjects, possibly including environmental health, epidemiology and health services administration. Students who earn this degree can go on for careers in either public health or consumer health.

Choosing A Degree In Consumer Health

In the modern era, with frequent customer complaints about HMOs, PPOs and other managed health care plans, and with the debate about socialized medicine constantly raging, consumer health experts are more important than ever, and those who find themselves frequently embroiled in these debates may benefit from studying consumer health.

Career Opportunities In Consumer Health

Consumer health and health informatics professionals can find work wherever a need for effective and efficient health care provision exists. This includes working with hospitals to implement efficient management systems, with pharmaceutical companies to help analyze prescribing patterns, with medical software companies, public health groups, health-related government agencies and insurance companies.

Earning Potential For Consumer Health Careers

The earning potential for someone who has studied consumer health will vary according to where they put their knowledge to use. The median earnings for Medical and Health Services Managers was $73,740 in 2006. Consumer advocates average between $30,000 to $70,000. Your earnings will be largely dependent on the area of consumer health you pursue, how much experience you have and how effective you prove to be.

Getting Your Consumer Health Degree Online

A great and easy way to start is by getting a professional certification in consumer health online. Online programs are ideal for continuing education students since they require less of a time commitment than a traditional university with classes scheduled at fixed times. Bachelor of Health Science and Master of Public Health and Health Science are also obtainable online from top accredited universities in around two years. Many companies that need health informatics experts should recognize the viability of accredited online programs and may be happy to hire an expert who earned his degree at a top online university.

Getting Your Consumer Health Degree Offline

When you attend a brick-and-mortar college or university, you can be closely involved with designing your consumer health curriculum. You can take a variety of health courses with a focus on issues related to informatics and consumer health. You can develop relationships with health instructors and fellow students that will carry you through your bachelor's degree and possibly your master's degree and even into the working world. The four or six years you spend attending scheduled classes and developing your consumer health knowledge can pay great dividends down the road as more and more companies, public and private, are recognizing the need to understand how health care works and the most efficient ways of delivering quality health care to consumers.

Consumer health, or consumer health informatics, is the study of how to analyze consumers’ needs with respect to medical information and how to make that information more accessible to consumers so that they can make informed health choices. Healthcare is one of the fastest growing sectors of information technology so those who know how to manage and analyze health information may find themselves in greater and greater demand.

Consumer Health Books

Some useful books for those interested in the study of consumer health include “Essentials of Statistics in Health Information Technology” by Carol E. Osborn, “Children, Families and Health Care Decision Making" by Lainie Freedman Ross and "E-Health and the Law" by Stefaan Callens. These and other health informatics books can be found at the Biohealthmatics website at BioHealthMatics.com.

Consumer Health Articles And Databases

For information, databases and articles related to consumer health, your best bet is the National Institutes of Health, Health Information section at Health.nih.gov. They have links to information about men’s health, women’s health, children and teen’s heath and even minority and seniors’ health. You can also search for specific health topics from this site and learn about the latest research as it pertains to consumer health.

Online Consumer Health Journals

The primary consumer health journals that you can find online are the Journal of Medical Internet Research (jmir.org) and the Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet. Other health and medical journals may provide information that will be useful to those pursuing consumer health knowledge.

Other Consumer Health Research Tools

The National Institutes of Health website is probably the best source for any consumer health information you may need. In addition to all the information provided in the health information section, the site has information about consumer health related jobs, research in National Institutes of Health research labs and clinics and links to information about research support.

Consumer Health Resources

Sciences > Health & Medicine > Consumer Health & Info

See also

Start with
MedlinePlus - Evaluating Internet Health Information: A Tutorial from the National Library of Medicine
This tutorial teaches you how to evaluate the health information that you find on the Web. It is about 16 minutes long."

Healthfinder
A gateway consumer health and human services information web site from the United States government

HEALTHINFOQUEST
Pathfinders to common health questions for public librarians and other health information specialists.
National Network of Libraries of Medicine

MedicineNet.com: Medical References
"Since 1996, our network of U.S. board-certified physician writers and scientists have provided relevant, easy-to-read, in-depth medical information for consumers via our robust, user-friendly, interactive web site."

Go Ask Alice!
"...is the health question and answer Internet service produced by Alice!, Columbia University's Health Promotion Program ó a division of Health Services at Columbia."

Merck Manual of Medical Information - Home Edition
"...you will find in-depth information, written by nearly 200 leading medical experts, on the health issues that matter most to you ... This publication is based on The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, commonly referred to as The Merck Manual, the textbook of medicine most widely used by health care professionals in the U.S. and worldwide. The Home Edition transforms the language of the professionals' version into commonly used English while retaining the vital information about diseases, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Continue with:
Addiction Search
A Gateway to Research-based Addiction Information
Sections include: News ; The Addictions ; Statistics ; Populations ; Treatment ; Prevention ; Social Issues ; Organizations ; Harm Reduction.

[Alzheimer's] Alzheimer's Association

ANRED - Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc.
Sections include: Anorexia Nervosa ; Bulimia Nervosa ; Binge Eating Disorders ; Other Less-Well-Known Eating Disorders.

the Anxiety Panic internet resource (tAPir)
"...is a free grass-roots website dedicated to providing information, relief, and support for those recovering from debilitating anxiety."

Applied Ethics Resources on WWW
Categories include: Health Care ; Business ; Computer & Info-Tech ; Environmental ; Moral/Ethical Decision Making ; Media ; Animal Welfare ; Professional Ethics ; Science & Technology ; Government ; International ; Research.
By Chris MacDonald for the Centre for Applied Ethics, University of British Columbia

Arthritis Foundation

∞BIEN! - Border Health Information and Education Network (English or Spanish)
"...is a health education network  funded through a grant from the  National Library of  Medicine to provide the best in health information free of charge for the people of the border region, both healthcare consumers and healthcare providers.  The seventeen members of the °BIEN!  network include hospitals, health organizations, and public and academic libraries."

Bioethics.net
"bioethics.net is the most visited bioethics web site in the world. It contains more than 500 pages of information about all aspects of ethical issues in medicine and science."
Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania

The Breast Clinic
"Provide clear and concise information on breast symptoms, diseases, investigations and treatments to patients, doctors and others ...Serve as a breast disease internet resource where links to other breast-related sites can be found ... Provide the forum in which visitors can share their experiences with others should they wish to do so.

CAPHIS Top 100
Sections include: General Health ; Women's Health ; Men's Health ; Parenting and Kids ; Specific Health ; Drug Info ; Health Professionals.
From The Consumer and Patient Health Information (CAPHIS) of the Medical Library Association

Child & Family WebGuide
"...describes and evaluates web sites that contain research-based information about child development. These web sites have been selected from thousands of sites about children, based primarily on the quality of the information provided. The goal of the WebGuide is to give the public easy access to the best child development information on the Web ... There are six categories of information: Family, Education, Health, Typical Development, Childcare, and Activities"
Created by faculty in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development at Tufts University, in collaboration with academic librarians at Tufts' Tisch Library and the Society for Research in Child Development.

Complete Home Medical Guide
Sections include: Using Your Health Care System ; New Approaches to Wellness ; Symptoms and Diagnoses ; First Aid and Safety ; Treatment and Prevention of Disease ; Drugs and Their Use ;
- The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

disAbility.gov
"...to provide one-stop online access to resources, services, and information available throughout the Federal government."

Dolan DNA Learning Center - Genes in Education
"The mission of the Dolan DNA Learning Center is to prepare students and families to thrive in the gene age. We envision a day when all elementary students are exposed to principles of genetics and disease risk; when all high school students have the opportunity to do hands-on experiments with DNA; and when all families have access to genetic information they need to make informed health care choices."
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

DrKlein.net
A Layperson's Guide to Health & Disease
"...a continually expanding health resource for the educated lay reader. The site provides reliable and up-to-date family health and disease information.
By Roger D. Klein, M.D.

Drug InfoNet
"...We provide both information and links to areas on the web concerning healthcare and pharmaceutical-related topics. This free service is brought to you to improve your education as consumers and healthcare professionals."

Familydoctor.org
"Information From Your Family Doctor"
American Academy of Family Physicians

Go Ask Alice!
"...is the health question and answer Internet service produced by Alice!, Columbia University's Health Promotion Program ó a division of Health Services at Columbia."

U.S. FDA - Hot Topics

Health Care Information Resources
"...a collection of links to sources of health care information of interest to a broad spectrum of potential users, both in Canada and beyond. Among the users I have in mind in the development of this resource are: patients, their families and friends, and their health care workers."
By Tom Flemming, Head of Public Services, McMaster University Health Sciences Library

Health Library at Stanford
"...we are a free and open-to-the public consumer health information library that provides scientifically-based medical information to help people make informed decisions about their health and health care.
- Stanford Hospital and Clinics.

Health on the Net Foundation
"HON site includes a complete list of hospitals on the WWW, internet medical support communities (listservers, newsgroups and FAQs). You can search the internet for Medical Information with MEDHUNT, HON's dedicated medical search engine. Health On the Net Foundation mission is to build and support the international health and medical community on the Internet and WWW so that the potential benefits of this new communications medium may be realised by individuals, medical professionals and healthcare provider."

Health Privacy Project
"...is dedicated to raising public awareness of the importance of ensuring health privacy in order to improve health care access and quality, both on an individual and a community level."
Sections include: Federal Law ; State Law ; Resources ; Consumer Coalition ; Health Privacy 101.
Institute for Health Care Research and Policy, Georgetown University - (dead link)

HealthLink Plus
 "goal of the HealthLink Plus web site is to facilitate access to consumer health information in an effort to develop and enhance public knowledge of important health and fitness issues. Instead of wading through thousands of health related Internet web sites, HealthLink Plus users will find reliable, recent, and authoritative information from sites selected by PLCMC's professional Information Services staff."
Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC), North Carolina

Healthsites
Healthsites.co.uk is a leading medical portal for non-medical people and healthcare professionals. In particular it brings together, under one bookmark, the best medical websites that are often competing for your attention...The Patient Zone focuses on providing reliable, quality medical information links, with priority given to resources that are particularly suitable and clearly presented for non-medical people. If you cannot easily find what you are looking for, then try the on site Search facility or the included search engines section. If you are looking for more technical information then try the Doctor Zone...The Doctor Zone sites have an obvious focus on providing quality medical information, with priority given to resources that are particularly suitable for UK healthcare professionals in their daily work. Evidence based resources and vast databases are identified for medical searches."

The Heart Center Encyclopedia
"We have compiled this on-line encyclopedia in order to provide a comprehensive source of easily accessible information about the disorders that may affect a child's heart and the options that are available to treat those conditions."
Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati

Heart Center Online
"The mission of the Heart Center Online is to be the premier cardiovascular specialized health care site on the Internet, to provide cardiovascular patients, their families and other site visitors with the tools they need to better understand the complex nature of heart-related conditions, treatments and preventive care, and to provide services and applications that deliver value to cardiology practices."

HerbMed
"...an interactive, electronic herbal database ñ provides hyperlinked access to the scientific data underlying the use of herbs for health.  It is an evidence-based information resource  for professionals, researchers, and general public."
- Project of the Alternative Medicine Foundation

Heath Resource Center
"...is the national clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities."
American Council on Education

Islamic Medicine On Line (English and Arabic)
Sections include: Embryology & Life Creation ; Food, Alcohol & Smoking ; Islam & Natural Medicine ; Islamic Medical Associations ; Islam & Medical Ethics ; Psychology & Sexual Issues ; Muslims & Medical History ; IIM & Future Events ; Islamic View on Medical Issues ; Islam & Health Guidelines ; Views of Non-Muslim Scientists ; Islam & non-Medical Sciences.
By Dr. Sharif Kaf Al-Ghazal

  • Islamic Approach to Medicine (etext)
    By Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Hamid Al Sayyad, Professor of Medicine, Al Azhar and Kuwait Universities.  Translated by Mohammed Madi, Royal Commission Medical Center, Saudi Arabia.

KidsHealth
"KidsHealth has separate areas for kids, teens, and parents - each with its own design, age-appropriate content, and tone. There are literally thousands of in-depth features, articles, animations, games, and resources - all original and all developed by experts in the health of children and teens."
- The Nemours Foundation

Medical Reference For Non-Medical Librarians
Compiled by Jean C. Blackwell, Information Services Librarian, Health Science Library, UNC-Chapel Hill and additional material added by Lynne M. Fox.

MedInfoRus
"...has been developed by a group of medical librarians from New York City with the goal of helping Russian-speaking audience to search the Internet for medical information.  It may be helpful both for professionals in their searches for medical publications, and for the public seeking health-related information and medical advice...On this website we have tried to bring together a collection of links to medical websites, electronic publications, directories, and other resources available online in Russian.  This collection includes sources both from Russia and from other countries...A very important part of our site is a guide in Russian on how to search PubMed, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) system."
Information compiled and collected by Luda E. Dolinksy, Yelena Friedman, and Rimma Perelman.

MedlinePlus
Section include: Health Topics ; Drug Information ; Medical Encyclopedia ; Dictionary  ; News ; Directories ; Other Resources.

MedlinePlus: Clinical Trials

MEDLINEplus: Domestic Violence
Health Information from the National Library of Medicine

MEDLINEplus: Hormone Replacement Therapy
Health Information from the National Library of Medicine
Includes: Latest News ; Overview ; Alternative Therapy ; Clinical Trials ; Research ; Specific Conditions/Aspects ; Treatment ; Organizations.

MEDLINEplus: Interactive Health Tutorials
"The tutorials listed below are interactive health education resources from the Patient Education Institute. Using animated graphics each tutorial explains a procedure or condition in easy-to-read language. You can also listen to the tutorial."

MEDtropolis
"We inform, educate and entertain kids and adults alike in the areas of healthcare and healthy living..."
Sections include: Resources ; Treatments Options ; Family & Friends ; Health Options ; Health Communities ; Living With... ; Health Conditions ; Health References ; Cancer Resources.

Merck Manual of Medical Information
"Explains disorders, who is likely to get them, their symptoms, how they're diagnosed, how they might be prevented, and how they can be treated; also provides information about prognosis."
2nd Home Edition, Online Version

NetWellness : Consumer Health Information
Sections include: Ask and Expert ; Minority Health ; Health Topics ; Library ; Referrals / Directories ; Clinical Trials ; Other Health Web Sites
"...created and evaluated by medical and health professional faculty at the University of Cincinnati, Case Western Reserve University, The Ohio State University."

NIDDK Health Information
"Fact sheets, brochures, newsletters, easy-to-read publications, health education campaign materials, and lists of resource organizations."

NLM Gateway Search
"The NLM Gateway allows users to search in multiple retrieval systems at the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). The current Gateway searches MEDLINE/PubMed, OLDMEDLINE, LOCATORplus, AIDS Meetings, Health Services Research Meetings, HSRProj, MEDLINEplus and DIRLINE."
National Library of Medicine

NOAH: New York Online Access to Health (English or Spanish)
"NOAH provides access to high quality consumer health information in English and Spanish. The NOAH volunteer editors do not write this information. Instead, librarians and health professionals in New York and beyond find, select, and organize full-text consumer health information that is current, relevant, accurate and unbiased."

pain.com
A World of Information on Pain
Major sections for both Professional Information and Consumer Information.

PBS - Red Gold
The Epic Story of Blood
"Delves into the facts and myths about human blood and its impact on everything from religion and medicine to commerce and popular culture throughout history. This four-part series address the ways in which we have understood and misunderstood the substance so crucial to our world."
Sections include: Blood Journey ; Blood History ; Blood Basics ; Innovators & Pioneers ; Education ; Ask the Experts ; Education ; Resources ; Glossary.

[Plan B] U.S. Food and Drug Administration

PlanetAmber
"...a global information source for people with health impairments, their families and for those who provide services and support...Our database includes links related to both specific health conditions and resources covering universal health care issues."

Reproductive Health Gateway
Sections include: Online Databases ; Directories ; Full-Text Pubs ; Glossaries ; Images/Photos ; E-mail Lists ; Portals ; Statistics.
Managed by the Information and Knowledge for Optimal Health Project.

Researching Medical Literature on the Internet
By Gloria Miccioli

[Stem Cells] National Academies Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee - Stem Cells Home
Sections include: Stem Cell Guidelines ; Stem Cell Information.

  • Emerging Issues in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research - (dead link)
    Public Symposium, November 2006.

[Stem Cells] The Stem Cell Debate
CNN.com In-Depth Special

[Stem Cells] Stem Cells: 5 Year Progress Report (November 2003)
Sections include: A Stem Cell Time Line ; Bio-Bombshell ; Latest News ; All Grown Up ; Making Sense ; Bibliography.
- The Why Files, University of Wisconsin

[Supplements] MedlinePlus: Dietary Supplements
Sections include: News ; From the NIH ; Specific Conditions ; Related Issues ; Publications ; Clinical Trials ; Research ; Directories ; Organizations ; Law & Policy ; Teenagers ; Seniors.
- National Institutes of Health

Typing Injury FAQ Home Page
"The Typing Injury FAQ (frequently asked questions) is an educational site, provided by the CTD Resource Network, Inc., containing a wide variety of information about repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), resources for dealing with these ailments, and a broad description of assistive products to reduce injury risk and symptoms."

UnderstandingMS.com - Multiple Sclerosis
"A comprehensive resource guide for patients & families"

Upspeakable: The Naked Truth About STDs - (dead link) Includes "quick, direct, and honest information about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), their symptoms, or treatment...learn more about your risk for sexually transmitted diseases...STD Clinic Locator...learn how to speak with your partner about the risks for contracting STDs."

World Book - Women in Science and Medicine (K12)
"To celebrate the achievements of these women, World Book editors have compiled a series of articles about some of the most influential women in science and medicine and how their efforts have helped explain how the world works."

www.FoodSafety.gov
Gateway to Government Food Safety Information
Sections include: News & Safety Alerts ; Consumer Advice ; Kids, Teens, & Educators ; Report Illnesses & Product Complaints ; Foodborne Pathogens ; Industry Assistance ; National Food Safety Programs ; Federal & State Gov't Agencies ; Other Topics.

Young and Healthy Online
Sections include: Current Health Topics ; Archived Topics ; Health Briefs ; Ask the Doctor ; Kids Zone.
- Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati

Your Genes, Your Health
A Multimedia Guide to Genetic Disorders
Sections include: Fragile X Syndrome ; Marfan Syndrome ; Hemophilia ; Cystic Fibrosis ; Duchenne/Becker Muscular Dystrophy ; PKU ; Huntington Disease ; Neurofibromatosis ; Sickle Cell Disease ; Hemochromatosis ; Tay-Sachs Disease ; Beta-thalassemia ; Down Syndrome ; Alzheimer Disease ; Polycystic Kidney Disease.
- Dolan DNA Learning Center

See also


MCAT Classroom Course
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This option provides you with questions, questions, and more questions! Qreview Plus comes complete with Kaplan Medical's renowned Test Taking and Strategy Guide and combines the 3-month Step 1 Qbank, the Qbook, a simulated test on CD-ROM and a simulated exam that you can take at any Kaplan center.

Created by librarian Mike Madin