By Sarah Hughes

As we enter the winter season during a pandemic, it is more important than ever to remain healthy. While a wealth of health information may be available when conducting a quick search on the web, much of the content is not always credible. Instead, consider using some of the trustworthy resources available at Falvey Memorial Library.

UpToDate is an evidence-based medicine resource used by medical providers to retrieve the most current information on health topics.

While the content is primary geared towards students and faculty at the College of Nursing, it does have features that can be helpful for those seeking basic health-related information. A nice feature of this resource is that it contains some specific content geared towards patients, not medical providers. These specific entries are written in more plain terms and is easy to read and understand.

Access UpToDate through Databases A to Z on the Falvey Memorial Library homepage. Be sure to register with your valid Villanova email account.

Once you have an account set, you can search for specific information, like in the example below, information on flu treatment.

Click the Patient tab to retrieve content written for patients. While this is no replacement for a telemedicine visit to your doctor, it can be helpful to see the recommended guidelines written by healthcare providers.

Stay safe and healthy this winter!

 Sarah Hughes is Nursing & Life Sciences Librarian at Falvey Memorial Library.

Did you know that UpToDate, the evidence-based, peer-reviewed information resource for health practitioners, makes it easy to check for drug interactions?  Just start at the library homepage (http://library.villanova.edu) and click Databases A-Z.  Then choose UpToDate.

At the UpToDate search page, click drug interactions.

 

This will take you to the Lexi-Comp comprehensive drug-to-drug, drug-to-herb, and herb-to-herb analysis software.

Type in the name of two or more medications and/or herbal remedies for which you’d like to check possible interactions.  The database will respond with a list of generic and brand names.  Check off your choices and click Analyze.

The database responds with one of the following risk ratings:

A:  No known interaction.
B:  No action needed.
C.  Monitor therapy.
D.  Consider therapy modification.

Give Lexi-Comp on UpToDate a try!

KNOW HOW TO FIND FULL TEXT? DROP IN FOR A DEMO

You’re reading an interesting journal article and see this intriguing study in the list of references at the end:

K. Harrison, A.L. Marske. Nutritional content of foods advertised during the television programs children watch most.
Am J Public Health, 95 (2005): 1568–1574.

Do you know how to determine if this article is available full text through a Falvey subscription? (HINT: It’s easier than you think!). And how would you find articles by other authors doing similar research? Drop in anytime between 12:00 and 1:00 and see how it’s done. Dates and locations for these drop-in sessions are as follows:
Tues., Oct. 23, Driscoll 305
Thurs., Oct. 25, Driscoll 376

Questions welcome!  Contact barbara.quintiliano@villanova.edu
Or call X 95207

UpToDate, the evidence based, peer reviewed information resource for clinicians, now features The Basics, short (1-3 page) patient education articles written at a 5th-6th grade reading level.  These easy-to-read guides are designed to answer the most important questions a person might have about a medical condition. You can find an information page on asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, breast cancer, and more. At present available in English only.

If your patients can read and assimilate information written at a high-school level, choose from the Beyond the Basics collection.

How to access:

• Start at the library homepage – http://library.villanova.edu
• At Databases A-Z, choose UpToDate
• Log in with your Villanova LDAP (email) ID and password.
• Click “Begin New Search”

(If you haven’t  searched UpToDate in awhile, you may have to confirm your agreement to the usage license.)

• At the search screen, click the Patient Info tab.

• Then choose The Basics.

Looking for professional-level and patient materials in Spanish? Try the Spanish-language version of NLM’s MedlinePlus:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/medlineplus.html
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Learn how the new Health Care Affordability Act will affect your organization. Discover the 10 steps to success and get tips on designing an effective community needs assessment.   The workshop will be held at the headquarters of the Public Health Management Corporation (producers of the Community Health Data Base) on January 26, 2011, 9:00am- 11:00am. PHMC is located at 260 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102.

Admission is free and includes a continental breakfast.  If you wish to attend, contact Johanna Towbridge at 215-731-2199 or johannat@phmc.org

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Questions or comments about today’s blog post?  contact Barbara