Consumer Health Complete is a great resource to use when trying to get your head around a new diagnosis for a loved one. The database can also help users understand how complementary and alternative medicine can be used safely. It is designed to support patients’ information needs and foster an understanding of health related topics. It is especially good for patients and care-takers, as it offers well-vetted, trustworthy content on topics such as aging, cancer, diabetes, drugs and alcohol, fitness and nutrition.

You can search for information specific to children’s health, men’s health or women’s health. It includes information about health and wellness as well as treatments and conditions.  This resource contains resources ranging from Evidence Based reports to reference sheets  as well as  video and animations.

Another resource, the AHFS Consumer Medication Information is a bi-lingual (Spanish and English) database. It collects patient drug information from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Additional information is provided through access to CINAHL & CINAHL with Full Text from EBSCO. CINAHL stands for “Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Library.” CINAHL and CINAHL with Full Text are the go-to databases for nursing and allied health professional, including students, educators and researchers.-  Disciplines covered in this authoritative database include biomedicine, health sciences librarianship, alternative and complementary medicine consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines.  Nursing dissertations, standards of practices, audio visual content and much more useful, practical information is available through this resource.  The database offers complete coverage of English-language nursing journals and publications from the National League for Nursing and the American Nurses’ Association.

Records in this database date back as far as 1937. In the CINAHL Plus with Full Text, users can access Evidence Based Care Sheets and Quick Lessons which provide concise overviews of diseases and conditions and outline the most effective treatment options. It is a one stop-shop for practical, educational material for nursing and more.

These databases are extremely useful for every citizen of the Commonwealth, from caretaker to practitioner. For the highest quality and most reliable medical and pharmaceutical  information using resources that help you avoid the confusion of unknown sources and unreliable or outdated information is critical.  The  resources included within the KYVL library of sources are rich with high quality, vetted, current content that can help consumers and practitioners make good decisions for medical and treatment options,

KYVL Staff, July 16, 2013

KYVL provides all Kentuckians with equitable access to library resources and to a common foundation of quality online information for lifelong learning, working and living.