Featured Online Resource: National Immunization Awareness Month Resources

Since August is National Immunization Awareness Month, the following resources are available to help you become informed about immunizations.

Schmidt, Judy / CDC. A girl receiving a vaccination  shot 

from her doctor. Creative Commons Universal (CCO 1.0).

• CDC Vaccines and Immunization - Provides an overview of vaccination topics and questions.
• The Journey of Your Child's Vaccine (CDC Infographic) - Provides information on how vaccines are initially tested and monitored.
• National Public Health Information Coalition National Immunization Awareness Month Toolkits provide links to information resources for various age groups and related concerns about immunizations.
• CDC Parents: Vaccines for you Children - Page includes information about benefits as well as side effects of vaccines and resources to help parents make the best decision for their children.
• CDC Preventing Seasonal Flu With Vaccination - Page provides an overview of the seasonal influenza vaccine as well as links to additional resources about the benefits, side effects, and guidelines for receiving this vaccine.
• HealthyChildren.org - National Immunization Awareness Month - Page includes information by age group, historical information, and a helpful infographic from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• American Academy of Pediatrics - National Immunization Awareness Month - Page provides information by age groups, links to additional resources, and includes a link related to Vaccine Safety which also provides an Autism Fact Sheet which addresses concerns about a link between the MMR vaccine and Autism.
• MedLine Plus - Immunization - Consumer health information and resources related to immunizations.
• Maryland Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, Center for Immunization - Immunization resources as well as Back to School Immunization Requirements.
• Allegany County Health Department, Immunization Clinic - Includes walk-in  hours and overseas travel immunizations.
• World Health Organization - Immunization - Provides links to fact sheets and other resources on international immunization issues.

This is only a small list of the information that is available on this topic.  Please use and share the information above, but also feel free to continue your research with library resources as well as online information from other reliable organizations and government agencies.

Featured Online Resource - Medline Plus

Have you ever searched the Internet for information about a health-related topic, but found you weren't comfortable trusting the Web sites providing the information?  If so, you might want visit Medline Plus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/).  This site is maintained by the National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine.

It's a great source of straightforward information focused on healthy living and medical information.

Some topics covered include:

• Health Topics
• Body systems
• Specific health conditions
• Therapies and treaments
• Health and wellness
• Drugs & supplements
• Videos and interactive tutorials

In addition to the information that the National Library of Medicine has compiled, you will also find links to other resources related to health and healthy living from agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control.

Consider this a a great starting point for your research.  However, always remember that none of these resources can act as a replacement for advice from a trained physician!

Every week, the Ort Library brings you a new and outstanding resource from the Web or from one of the library's databases. To get an archive of all FOR entries, click here. Also, you can suggest a website that provides well-organized access to useful info.