Internet HealthDo’s, Don’ts and Tips

Do’s• DO Look for the authors of the source

or the original source of information; who wrote this and are they reputable?

• DO Find out who funds the site, look for .gov (government funded) or .edu (educational institutions).

• DO Find the website’s purpose by looking for key words like “About Us”.

Do’s• DO Check the date of

the information. It may be outdated.• DO Find out who

reviewed the material and what their medical credentials are.• DO Visit the NIH

website to find more information at http://ods.od.nih.gov.

Don’ts• DON’T give your information

to websites before knowing how your personal information will be used.

• DON’T use sites in which online shopping is not clearly separated from informational content.

Don’ts• DON’T trust sites that ask to give

you an online diagnosis.

• DON’T go against your instinct; if something seems wrong, it probably is.

• DON’T rely solely on online information; be sure to ask your physician questions as well.

Tips• Information on websites maintained by

governmental agencies, medical schools and organizations, and disease-specific non-profit organizations are usually trustworthy sources.

Trustworthy Websites• Center for Disease Control www.cdc.gov• United States Department of Health and

Human Services www.hhs.gov• American Public Health Association www.

apha.org• National Institutes of Health www.nih.gov

• American Cancer Society www.cancer.org

Not an exhaustive list of ALL trustworthy websites!