The Cancer Nutrition Network for Texans presents:

1
The Cancer Nutrition Network for Texans presents
Creating Cancer Care Teams A workshop for
Cancer Patients and their Family Caregivers
The CNNT is funded by the University of Texas
Medical Branch and the Texas Cancer Council
Contract 08-94
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Finding the Best Information

• What to consider when assessing health
  information.

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Objectives

• We hope that you will walk away from
• this seminar equipped with the tools and
• knowledge to find credible resources for
• researching cancer and caregiver topics via the
• Internet
• Magazines
• Health Journals
• Newspapers
• Books
  

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What you should know about .com health sites

• Some websites may represent a specific company or
  have support from a company that uses the web for
  commercial purposes
• to make money by SELLING PRODUCTS.

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Guide to Finding Information on the Internet

• Internet Areas
• .com for-profit company
• Example www.cancer.com
• A pharmaceutical company
• .edu educational institute
• Example www.utmb.edu
• The University of Texas Medical Branch
• .gov government agency
• Example www.cancer.gov
• National Cancer Institute
• .org non-profit agency
• Example www.cancer.org
• American Cancer Society

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Informational Websites

• Is the site updated frequently? Health
  information changes constantly.
• Does it establish the site as respected and
  dependable?
• Intended Audience (i.e. consumer or health
  professional)

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Factual Information

• Information presented in a clear manner
• Factual (not opinion)
• Capable of being verified from professional
  resources
• Information that is represented as an opinion,
• should be clearly stated and the source
  identified
• as a qualified professional or organization.

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Tips for Judging Print Materials

• Who are the authors?
• Is the information anonymous?
• What are their credentials?
• Do the authors have a hidden agenda?
• Is there a conflict of interest?
• Is the information one-sided or biased?
• Is there a claim of a miracle or secret cure?

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Tips for Judging the Source
Who published the information?

• Articles, Books, and Pamphlets
• How credible is the source?
• Are they selling something?
• Trust your Instincts!

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Reliable Resources
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Is the Information Accurate?

• Where did the information come from?
• Is the original source referenced?
• Is it based on scientific evidence?
• Is it supported by data?
• What kind of evaluations have been done on the
  information?
• Is the information peer reviewed?
• Do other sources substantiate the information?

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Remember

• Fear is our greatest enemy . . . information our
  greatest ally.

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Acknowledgements

• Wed like to thank the following partners for
  their support and those that allowed us to share
  their reliable information

Medical Library Association The Cancer Nutrition
Network for Texans Texas Cancer Council The
University of Texas Medical Branch American
Cancer Society