Health & Medicine

There are many resources at GVPL to help increase your health knowledge. Always consult a health professional about any information found on the internet.

Online Databases - Resources Requiring Login (Library card and password)

Consumer Health Complete - Articles from 100s of health and wellness magazines. More than 1,000 health pamphlets. Includes aging, cancer, diabetes, drugs & alcohol, fitness, nutrition, and women's health. High-quality images and videos.[How to use] [Flash tutorial]

Gale Virtual Reference Library - Gale Virtual Reference Library contains the following eBooks: Drugs and Controlled Substances: Information for Students,Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology,Environmental Encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, The Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, The Encyclopedia of Surgery, New Catholic Encyclopedia, Terrorism Reference Library, and VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever.

Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine (Gale Virtual Reference Library) -  Reflexology, acupressure, acupuncture, chelation therapy, kinesiology, yoga, chiropractic, Feldenkrais, polarity therapy, detoxification, naturopathy, Chinese medicine, biofeedback, Ayurveda and osteopathy.

Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders (Gale Virtual Reference Library) - Information about all 150 disorders classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). Includes drug therapy and treatment information.

Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers (Gale Virtual Reference Library)  - Coverage of nearly 500 surgical procedures and related topics such as diagnosis and preparation, aftercare, risks, alternatives and more.

Subject Guides - Open Resources (no login required)

In the Library

Main Websites of Interest

Mayo Clinic - Information from a major health provider (U.S.).

MedlinePlus Encyclopedia - Over 4,000 articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries and surgeries. Also contains an extensive library of medical photographs and illustrations.  [How to use]

Merck Manuals Online Medical Library - Online version of popular health reference book.

Health Canada - Information from the government of Canada on diseases, drug products, and food safety of interest to Canadians. Articles from over hundreds of health magazines plus complete medical reference books.

Health Information-National Institutes of Health (U.S.) - Covers diseases, health and wellness, procedures and

B.C. & Local Resources

HealthLink BC - Provides 24/7 access to non-emergency health information and services in British Columbia.  Also accessible by dialing 8-1-1 from anywhere in the province.

B.C. Cancer Agency  Patient and Public Information - Information for public and patients. Includes information on Vancouver Island Centre. 

VIHA - Health Topics - Health information on a variety of topics from Vancouver Island Health Authority.

B.C. College of Dental Surgeons - Contact information for dental professionals across B.C. Includes a Directory of Dentists for the province.

B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons  Contact information for medical doctors and specialists across B.C. Includes Find A Physician, a listing of Family doctors accepting patients by community across B.C.

Health Information Privacy in BC - website for British Columbia residents to find out about basic information about health information privacy rights

Aboriginal Health

First Nations, Inuit and Aboriginal Health - Canada - Information about maintaining health, about diseases and conditions, about programs available to aboriginal communities.

Aboriginal Canada Portal - Health and Social Services - Partnership between the Government of Canada and the aboriginal community to provide First Nations, Inuit and Métis on-line resources, contacts, information, and government programs and services.

Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide- First Nations, Inuit and Métis - A food guide which reflects the values and traditions of Canada's aboriginal communities.

National Aboriginal Health Organization Advances and promotes the health and well-being of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis through collaborative research, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, building capacity, and community led initiatives.

Alternative Medicine

Medline Plus: Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Information about alternative medicine and complementary medicine, including acupuncture, chiropractic and herbal medicines.

National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine - U.S. government's lead agency on research on practices and products not considered part of conventional medicine.

Healthy Living

Healthy Living Canada - It's Your Health - Articles from Health Canada and the Public Health Agency on healthy living.

Healthfinder.gov - U.S. government website providing information to help you and those you care about stay healthy.

Mental Health & Illness

Mental Health (Canada) -Provides information about mental health care professionals, and mental health issues across Canada.

Mental Health Publications - (National Institute of Mental Health)   List of booklets, fact sheets and easy to read material on mental health topics. 

Understanding Mental Illness - (Canadian Mental Health Association)  Myths about mental illness and background information on major mental illnesses.

Nutrition

Health Canada: Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods - Lists nutrient value of many different foods.

Canada's Food Guide - Information about food choices and servings.

Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) - A searchable, computerized file  from Health Canada that lists over 143 nutrients in over 5500 foods.

Dial-a-Dietician - For residents and health care professionals of British Columbia.

Dieticians of Canada - Offers information, recipes and resources on healthy eating for Canadians.

Nutrition.gov - From the National Agricultural Library (U.S.) offering information about food and human nutrition for consumers.

Prescription Drugs

Health Canada: Drugs & Health Products - Includes current information on health care products and drugs in Canada.

Medline Plus: Drugs and Supplements - Information on prescription and over-the-counter drugs as well as supplements.

Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and And Specialities (CPS) Drug Updates - Information on brand-new drugs from the Canadian Pharmacists Association.

Medications to Treat Mental Illness - Examination of prescription drugs to treat mental illnesses From the National Institute of Mental Health.

Public Health & Safety

B.C. Centre for Disease Control - Part of the Provincial Health Services Agency which focuses on preventing and controlling communicable disease and promoting environmental health in the province.

Public Health Agency of Canada - Information on health promotion, infectious disease control, disease control and prevention.

CDC-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Provides information on healthy living, workplace safety, environmental health and travellers health.

Infectious Diseases: World Health Organization - Information from WHO on the spread of disease globally.

Surgery & Tests

Surgery - Resources from Medline Plus.

Diagnostic Tests - Part of the online Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide.  

Children, Men, Women & Seniors

AboutKidsHealth - Information on children's health care topics including resources for children from Hospital for Sick Children.

Canadian Women's Health Network:Health Topics - Resources, organizations and research on women's health.

Women's Health Matters - Resources from Women's College Hospital (Toronto).

Men's Health - Information from the Canadian Medical Association.

Seniors Canada - Health and Wellness - Part of the government website for seniors.  Has adjustable type size for increased accessibility.

Seniors Health - Public Health Agency of Canada - Gateway to information on health issues with particular relevance to older adults.

NIHSeniorHealth (U.S.) - A website featuring health and wellness information for senior adults.  Users can: enlarge text; change text contrast; or hear text aloud.  Also includes videos on specific health topics.

Evaluating Health Websites

Evaluating Health Information - A tutorial from Medline Plus on how to evaluate information you find on the internet, magazines and TV.

Health Information on the Web - Finding reliable medical information online from the American Academy of Family Physicians.

HonCode - Standard for Health Information on the Web - Eight principles that make up the HonCode from Health On the Net Foundation.