Recorded presentation

Cynthia Love, MLS¹, Stacey J. Arnesen, MS¹, and Gale Dutcher, MLS, MS². (1) Specialized Information Services, National Library of Medicine, 6707 Democracy Blvd, Suite 510, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-496-5306, cindy_love@nlm.nih.gov, (2) Specialized Information Services Division, Office of Outreach and Special Populations, National Library of Medicine, 6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 510, Room 518, Bethesda, MD 20892

Public health workers may invest significant professional energy attempting to increase community concern about environmental health issues, only to encounter indifference. But what about those times when the community is demanding quick, detailed information because they fear an environmental event may directly impact their health? Do you know what trusted Internet sources of chemical, toxicology and environmental health information are available for your community? Where will you turn to get the background information you need before the five-o-clock TV news interview? Will you have time to research and write handouts for tonight’s community meeting? Learn what Internet resources are available to help you meet your community’s needs, whether they are interested in that day’s chemical spill from a derailed train, mercury contamination that shuts down the local high school or what health effects might be expected from a recently-discovered groundwater contamination problem. Appropriate Internet resources from the National Library of Medicine (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/) and other federal agencies will be reviewed, including MedlinePlus (http://medlineplus.gov/), Tox Town (http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/), TOXNET (http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/) and MEDLINE/PubMed (http://pubmed.gov). Case studies will be included.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify NLM’s and other agencies’ resources for consumers that can address urgent information needs at an introductory level.
• Identify resources available for consumers, motivated by concern for their own health, who require more detailed information.
• Understand how public health workers can best take advantage of these resources to meet their own and the community’s information needs when time may be short and interest is high.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation