The Poughkeepsie Public Library District earned a Consumer Health Information Specialization (CHIS) in 2018 by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) and the Medical Library Association (MLA).
As a credentialed Consumer Health Information Library, we proudly present the following e-Resources for Consumer Health.
Click on the tabs above to access e-Resources about: General Health information, Comparing & Evaluating Resources, and Nutrition.
Search the Mid-Hudson Library System's Online Public Acess Catalog (OPAC) for
related titles that may be available in multiple formats.
This guide is under constant review and will be periodically updated as needed.
Contact the Reference Desk at the Adriance Memorial Library with questions or comments
by phone: 1-845-485-3445, x3702 or email: bodonneLL@pokLib.org .
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Public health information from CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/covid/index.html Research information from NIH: https://search.nih.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=nhlbi_nhlbi_prod&query=Covid-19&commit=Search
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Masks and Respiratory Virus Prevention - ( https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/masks.html )
CDC Resources in Languages Other than English: Center for Disease Control - ( https://wwwn.cdc.gov/Pubs/other-languages?Sort=Lang%3A%3Aasc )
Latest Information on Covid-19 - New York State - ( https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home )
Covid-19 Data in NY - ( https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-data-new-york )
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - ( https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/DBCH/2019-Novel-Coronavirus.htm )
Vital Information, COVID-19 Dashboards + Data in Dutchess County.
NY Project Hope - NY State Department of Health - ( https://www.211wny.org/provider/10698/ )
Talking with NY Project Hope Crisis Counselors is free, confidential, and anonymous. Talk with someone who is trained, knowledgeable and never judges. Sometimes it’s helpful to talk with someone you don’t know.
If you’re not up for talking, take a look at the articles, learn a few relaxation techniques or a few new coping tips.
Provided by the New York State Office of Mental Health.
COVID-19 & Addiction: Risks of Going Untreated: American Addiction Centers - ( https://americanaddictioncenters.org/covid-19-update/coronavirus-and-substance-use )
Free Virtual Support Meetings offered during this time using GoToMeetings virtual platform.
[PPLD's] Caregivers Resources Guide -
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MedlinePlus - ( https://www.medlineplus.gov/ ) Created by the National Library of Medicine, this is the first place to go with ANY consumer health related question. Sites are current, reviewed, reliable, and accurate. MedlinePlus includes an encyclopedia, dictionary, drug database, several directories, and current news items. There are no advertisements on this site. |
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National Library of Medicine (NLM) - ( https://www.nlm.nih.gov/ ) Find a complete list of National Library of Medicine databases and web resources on this site. |
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PubMed.gov - ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ ) “Comprises more than 28 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites." Choose from Topic-Specific Queries or, use the Search box at the top of the page to find citations to health-related articles. *Contact your librarian to inquire about requesting a copy of an article in Full-text. |
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Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – ( https://health.gov/) Healthy People 2030 - ( https://health.gov/healthypeople/about ) |
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American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP Foundation) - ( https://familydoctor.org/ )
Find information on: Diseases and Conditions ; Prevention and Wellness ; Family Health ; Your Health Resources ...or to Visit the Symptom Checker ("Choose a symptom and answer simple questions using our physician-reviewed Symptom Checker to find a possible diagnosis for your health issue. Consult with your doctor if you feel you have a serious medical problem."). |
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John Hopkins Medicine - ( https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/surgical_care/ )
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Mayo Clinic - ( https://www.mayoclinic.org/ ) |
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WebMD - ( https://www.webmd.com/ ) WebMD provides valuable health information, tools for managing your health, and support to those who seek information through content that is timely and credible. |
** Please Note: although many of these resources have been compiled and vetted by the National Library of Medicine, they advise consumers to
Read the Disclaimer.
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The Medical Library Association (MLA)'s Top Health Websites - ( www.mlanet.org/page/top-health-websites ) The following link will direct you to a number of general and specialized consumer health websites focusing on: General Health, Cancer, Breast Cancer, Diabetes, Eye Disease, Heart Disease, HIV/AIDS and Stroke. Resources included in this website “have been deemed particularly useful…and are listed in alphabetical, NOT ranked, order.” |
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The Westchester Medical Center Health Network - ( https://www.wmchealth.org/ ) Formerly known as Saint Francis Hospital and then the MidHudson Regional Hospital is a local option to residents in the Hudson Valley with a number of specialized Medical Services available. Scroll through an alphabetical list of Areas of Medical Excellence or choose the letter that corresponds with the service you're interested in. |
American Heart Association - ( https://www.heart.org/ )
Many advocacy organizations have excellent websites, but one of the best is from the American Heart Association. The site covers all aspects of heart disease and stroke.
National Cancer Institute - ( https://www.cancer.gov/ )
The National Cancer Institute is the Federal Government’s principal agency for cancer research and training... The site provides quality cancer information on cancer topics including news, clinical trials, statistics, research and funding as well as an extensive dictionary.
Daily Med – ( www.dailymed.nlm.nih.gov )
DailyMed provides high quality information about marketed drugs. Drug labeling on this site is the most recent submitted to the FDA and currently in use. Labels have been reformatted to make them easier to read.
Dietary Supplements Labels Database – ( https://ods.od.nih.gov/Research/Dietary_Supplement_Label_Database.aspx )
The dietary supplements labels database (DSLD) offers information about label ingredients from 4,000 brands on dietary supplements. It enables users to compare ingredients in different brands. Ingredients are linked to NLM resources like MedlinePlus and PubMed as well as other government online resources.
Drugs.com – ( http://www.drugs.com )
Although a .com site, the drug information database is powered by four independent medical-information suppliers: Wolters Kluwer Health, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Cerner Multum and Thomson Reuters Micromedex. Individual drug or drug-class information content compiled by these sources is delivered complete and unaltered by Drugs.com
Drugs, Herbs and Supplements: MedlinePlus – ( https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html?_gl=1*1glx65j*_ga*MTg5NTQwMjEwOS4xNjk1MTQ0MDUy*_ga_7147EPK006*MTY5NTE0NDA1MS4xLjEuMTY5NTE0NTA3Ny4wLjAuMA..*_ga_P1FPTH9PL4*MTY5NTE0NDA1MS4xLjEuMTY5NTE0NTA3Ny4wLjAuMA )
Browse by generic or brand name to learn about prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines. Includes side effects, dosage, special precautions, and more.
Suggested as a reputable source when the Pillbox site was retired in January 29, 2021 ( https://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/ja20/ja20_pillbox_discontinue.html ). Pillbox could be used to identify or search for a pill by selecting characteristics from the drop down menus (Name or Ingredient; Imprint; Shape; Color; Inactive Ingredient).
FamilyWize: United Way – ( https://unitedwaygmwc.org/Get-Help/FamilyWize )
FamilyWize Community Service Partnership is working with United Way to help people nationwide get their much-needed prescription medications they otherwise wouldn't be able to afford.
PubChem – ( pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ )
PubChem is an open database at the National Library of Medicine (NLM) | National Institutes of Health (NIH). It serves as NLM's single source for chemical information since December 12, 2022 when ChemIDplus and the Drug Information Portal, two chemical property information sites, were retired. All of the data previously found in those sites is available in PubChem. ( http://druginfo.nlm.nih.gov/drugportal/drugportal.jsp )
The following websites offer health-related resources available in multiple languages.
Health Information in Multiple Languages: MedlinePlus - ( https://medlineplus.gov/languages/languages.html )
From the National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus covers over 1,000 health topics including those previously available on the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) HealthReach prior to October 1, 2020. The entire site is available in Spanish, while many topics are also available in other languages. Users can search by language or by health topic.
Health Information in Multiple Languages: NIH | NLM - ( https://www.nnlm.gov/public-libraries/health-information-in-multiple-languages )
INCLUDED ON THIS PAGE:
Selected Patient Information Resources in Asian Languages (SPIRAL): ImmigrantInfo - ( https://immigrantinfo.org/resources/spiral-selected-patient-information-in-asian-languages/ )
Via ImmigrantInfo.org, last updated 2023.
EthnoMed Patient Education - ( http://ethnomed.org/patient-education )
EthnoMed is Harborview Medical Center's ethnic medicine website containing medical and cultural information about immigrant and refugee groups. Users can browse by health topic or by language.
Health Information Translations - ( https://www.healthinfotranslations.org/ )
This website provides plain language health education resources for health care professionals and others working in communities with limited English proficient populations. Users can search by keywords, health topic, or language.
Where to Find Low-Cost Health Insurance in 2025 - ( https://www.moneygeek.com/insurance/health/most-affordable-health-insurance/ )
Read the following article to help understand what may be included in a Health insurance policy for you.
When buying affordable health insurance, you can either look for low out-of-pocket maximums or low premiums. You usually can’t get both unless you’re shopping for low-income health plans. ...The best health insurance should meet your specific needs in terms of cost, provider flexibility or coverage.
Addressing Healthcare Inequality: Steps Toward Bridging the Gap in 2025 - ( https://nafcclinics.org/addressing-healthcare-inequality-steps-toward-bridging-the-gap-in-2025/ )
Healthcare inequality continues to affect millions of Americans, particularly the uninsured and underserved, by limiting access to essential medical services. The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) addresses this gap by supporting over 1,400 clinics that provide free, high-quality care across a wide range of services. In 2025, NAFC is expanding its efforts through funding, education, advocacy, and community support to ensure more people receive the care they need.
Black Health & Wellness - 2022 Black History Theme – ( https://asalh.org/black-history-themes/ )
The theme for 2022 focuses on the importance of Black Health and Wellness by acknowledging the legacy of not only Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also other ways of knowing throughout the African Diaspora. The 2022 theme considers activities, rituals and initiatives that Black communities have done to be well including Birthworkers, doulas, midwives, natropaths, herbalists, etc.
The rise in new health fields have led to a rise in preventive care and a focus on body positivity, physical exercise, nutrition, exploring other dietary options such as veganism and vegetarianism, and gardening. Black Health and Wellness not only includes one's physical body, but also emotional and mental health. By selecting from the tabs available view Books, Websites, Audiovisual and other Historical Materials and Guides on Black Health and Wellness.
The following health-related websites offer some resources available for the LGBTQ+ community and their supporters.
MedlinePlus - ( www.medlineplus.gov )
Search the term “ Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Health ” to access resources provided by the National Library of Medicine, HealthyPeople.gov, and the Center for Disease Control.
Creating LGBTQIA+ Friendly Communities in Healthcare & Education: Guidebook - ( https://www.edumed.org/resources/lgbtqia-healthcare-and-education/ )
Inclusive, welcoming, patient-centered healthcare should be afforded to people from all walks of life, especially those who often feel marginalized due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Learn the challenges we face and the steps we can take to bridge the LGBTQIA+ health gap from the classroom to the clinic.
LGBTQ+ Guide - ( https://www.drugwatch.com/health/lgbtq/ )
On this page drugwatch.com has provided a survey of health issues facing the LGBTQ+ community.
Discrimination in LGBTQIA+ Health Care - ( https://www.moneygeek.com/insurance/health/resources/addressing-lgbtq-healthcare-disparities/ )
From the refusal of care to undertrained physicians, the LGBTQIA+ community has many barriers to overcome in order to access fair and equitable health care.
The following links provide information on LGBTQ+ health rights.
Health Care Bill of Rights - ( http://healthcarebillofrights.org )
What rights do LGBT people have right now when you go see a healthcare provider? Do hospitals prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity? Can you get help designating someone to make health decisions if you can’t? Find out these and more answers in The Healthcare Bill of Rights.
Health Care Equality Index 2024 (HEI) - ( https://www.hrc.org/hei )
The Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) is the national LGBTQ benchmarking tool that evaluates healthcare facilities' policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees. The HEI 2018 evaluates more than 1,600 healthcare facilities nationwide.
Long-Term Care Equality Index 2025 (LEI) - ( https://www.hrc.org/resources/long-term-care-equality-index )
The Long-Term Care Equality Index 2023 represents the first validated survey on LGBTQ+ inclusion in long-term care and senior housing communities.
GLMA Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality: Resources - ( https://www.glma.org/ )
GLMA is a national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities and equality for LGBTQ+ health professionals in their work and learning environments.
CenterLink, The Community of LGBTQ Centers -
( https://www.lgbtqcenters.org/ )
Serving over 375 LGBTQ community centers, CenterLink assists newly forming organizations and helps strengthen existing LGBTQ centers through networking opportunities for center leaders, peer-based technical assistance and training, and a variety of capacity-building services. ...
Advancing LGBTQ Community Health: LGBT Healthlink -
( http://www.lgbthealthlink.org/ )
LGBTQ HealthLink is a proud program of CenterLink with the mission to support, share, and amplify the work that our 300+ LGBTQ member centers do to advance health equity for their communities.
