By September Johnson
The internet can be your biggest resource in finding health information, but it also can be one of the biggest sources of misinformation. Finding accurate and nonbiased information regarding drugs and your health can be a difficult but important task. Having the right information available and knowing where to find it is critical to the decisions you make regarding your health.
Due to the fact that medically accurate drug information and its effects on your health can be hard to find, here are some tips for finding the best health information possible:
- What is the goal of the website or article? If the website is trying to sell you something, then you might want to look elsewhere for information. The articles you use to make your informed decisions should be nonbiased, simply giving you the facts you need to know, not making any promises of health outcomes. If there are several ads, pop-ups, or hyperlinks that bring you to a retail listing, this can be a red flag of poor information. Endorsements and personal testimonies should also be questioned.
- Is the content you are reading cited? Health information should be current and cited. Since the health and medicine fields are consistently learning new information from research being conducted, check to make sure the information you are reviewing is up to date. Preferably look for information that has been updated within the past three years. Look for information that is based on science and research. You should be able to use the citations of the article to see the background information used to write the article you are reading. (Use the citations of this article to find more information about evaluation of health information online.) Read the rest on CampusDrugPrevention.gov.