Health and Wellness

Jeanne Draughon RN, BSN
  • Parish Nurse
  • Bereavement Ministry
  • Caregiver Support
  • Grief Support Group
  • Prayer Shawl Ministry
  • Young at Heart
Some Advice from Nurse Jeanne

Many folks look to the internet when they have questions about diseases, treatments, vaccines etc… But how can you tell if the site is reputable? One way is the address of the site – if it says .gov then it is a government website, .edu identifies an educational institution, like a school, college, or university, .org usually identifies nonprofit organizations such as professional groups; scientific, medical or research societies; advocacy groups. Sites with .com are typically commercial websites (such as businesses, pharmaceutical companies, and sometimes hospitals.

One of the best sites on the internet is  the National Institute of Health‘s (NIH) medlineplus.gov , it is the National Library of Medicine website, and it contains dependable consumer information on more than 1,000 health-related topics. Remember to use common sense and good judgment when looking at health information online. There are websites on every health topic, and many have no rules overseeing the quality of the information provided. Use the information you find online as one tool to become more informed. Don’t count on any one website, check your sources and discuss what you find with your health care provider before making any changes to your health care.

Below is a checklist that you can use to evaluate a website, to see if it is trustworthy: Is the sponsor/owner of the website a Federal agency, medical school, or large professional or nonprofit organization, or is it related to one of these?

  1. If not sponsored by a Federal agency, medical school, or large professional or nonprofit organization, is the website written by a healthcare professional or does it reference one of these trustworthy sources for its health information?
  2. Why was the site created? Is the mission or goal of the website sponsor clear?
  3. Can you see who works for the agency or organization and who authored the information? Is there a way to contact the sponsor of the website?
  4. When was the information written or webpage last updated?
  5. Is your privacy protected?
  6. Does the website offer unbelievable solutions to your health problem(s)? Are quick, miracle cures promised?

Information from National Institute on Aging (NIA) website: www.nia.nih.gov

Jeanne Draughon RN, BSN