October is Health Literacy Month, a reminder of how important it is to fully understand the health information we receive. Unfortunately, a majority of Americans leave their doctor’s office confused about the details of their care, making it harder to manage their health.
Health literacy is the ability to understand and apply health information to make informed decisions about your health. When people struggle with health literacy, they’re more likely to face challenges like hospital readmissions, misuse of medications or worsening conditions.
The problem often worsens when individuals turn to unreliable sources — like social media, television or celebrity endorsements — for health advice. In a world where a quick online search can lead to misleading or contradictory information, it is essential to know how to find trustworthy health resources. Let’s explore how you can refine your search for accurate, reliable health information online.
How to Evaluate a Credible Resource
Not all information online is trustworthy and knowing how to distinguish between reliable sources and potentially harmful or misleading ones is key. Here are some tips to help you identify credible resources and avoid bad ones:
- Look for misspellings or grammar mistakes: Credible sources maintain a professional standard. Frequent errors can be a red flag for unreliable information.
- Watch for biased information without supporting facts: If the content seems one-sided or opinion-based without evidence, it may not be trustworthy. If a piece references studies or statistics but doesn’t link to or provide access to the studies, the claims might not be credible. A reliable source will reference external research and studies from various experts and institutions.
- Check the source and author: Investigate the author’s credentials and affiliations. If the author or website is connected to a product or service, it may be biased and focused on selling rather than informing. Reputable websites have clear information about who they are and who wrote the content. If this is missing, the source may not be trustworthy.
- Check the publish date: Aim for sources published within the last two to five years, especially in health and medicine, where information changes rapidly. Older content may be outdated or inaccurate.
- Avoid sites like Wikipedia for medical advice: Since these platforms can be edited by anyone, they aren’t reliable for important health information.
Examples of Credible Resources
Credible resources are those that provide accurate, evidence-based information, often reviewed by experts in the field. These sources are known for their reliability, using expert knowledge, peer-reviewed research and the most current data available to guide public health. Examples of credible health resources include:
- Government websites (.gov): Trusted sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offer accurate, up-to-date health information. These sites are backed by federal agencies and are reliable for medical facts and guidelines.
- Health organizations or foundations (.org): Sites such as Mayo Clinic and the American Cancer Society provide expert-reviewed content. The .org domain typically signifies nonprofit organizations, which prioritize accurate public health information.
- Leading research universities or academic organizations (.edu): Websites from institutions like Harvard Health and Johns Hopkins Health Library represent scholarly communities that drive research and knowledge in the medical field. These sources are highly credible due to their academic expertise in the advancement of knowledge.
- Scholarly articles: Reputable databases — like the National Library of Medicine from the National Institutes of Health — and respected medical journals offer peer-reviewed research, ensuring the information is grounded in scientific evidence.
Explore the Searchable Health Library
We want to help ensure you understand everything there is to know about your health and empower you with information so you can make more informed decisions about your care. That’s why you have access to UMR’s health library through your myCompass account. You can access education on various illnesses and conditions, including signs and symptoms, tests used to diagnose, treatment options and details on medical procedures.
The health library’s educational materials are written at a level that's easier to understand. You can also access health calculators and assessments to help give you an idea of your health status.
You can access the Health Library through myCompass:
- Log in to your myCompass account
- Click Go to UMR to access your UMR profile
- In UMR’s navigation, hover over Health center
- Click Health education library under Digital resources
It’s important to discuss the information you find online with your health care provider before you rely on it. While you may have found helpful information, your provider can tell you whether it’s good for you specifically.
Access An Additional Layer of Support
The Living Well Program is also here to help you understand the complicated medical jargon you find online. Or, if you have trouble finding exactly what you need in the health library, our nurses on staff can recommend articles on the conditions or treatments you are looking for.
It is important to spend the time you have with your health care provider wisely — it is your one-on-one time to ask questions about your health. However, many people leave confused about the information they received. The Living Well team can help prepare you for your next appointment by compiling questions to ask your provider about your health. That way, you show up prepared and can get on the same page with your provider about your health.
Last Updated: October 22, 2024.