Researching Your Health

By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2005-03-01 00:00:00-05:00

Session 2 - Using the Senior Health Web Site

Use this site:

If you’re new to the computer,
or if you’re helping someone who is. It’s especially designed for older adults, or others new to computers.

Special features:

This is one of the few Web sites to divide up information into small chunks on each page. You can go to the next page when you’re ready. Plus, with just a click, you can make three adjustments on each page. Make the print larger or smaller, brighten or darken the contrast, or listen to a voice reading each paragraph.

What you’ll find:

Each topic, such as arthritis or hearing loss, includes a category called Treatment and Research. Check there to learn about drug and other treatments for your condition. You will learn what drugs doctors usually prescribe for the condition. You’ll see cautions about possible drug side effects and interactions, especially for older people. The last part of the Treatment and Research category describes non-traditional treatments and tells you how to find out about NIH clinical trials for various treatments.

This Web site also includes a section devoted exclusively to “Taking Medicines.” Look for it near the bottom of the topic list.

Each topic also has several videos to watch on your computer screen. Question lists and quizzes help you find what you want quickly and remember the essentials. From each topic, you can link to the Medline Plus database at the National Library of Medicine for more details. That’s where you’ll find details about prescription drugs. NIH lists about 15 health conditions here, and is adding more.

Want to get ready to research? Do a quick practice and then check your answers.

Directions: Here’s a medical condition and question. Use the
link to Senior Health to find the answer. Use the “Back” button
to return to this page. After you finish, use the link at the bottom
to see the correct answer.

Practice Question

Your knees have started aching. Your doctor thinks you may have osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis. Cartilage, the tissue at the ends of bones, wears down. The bones rub against each other, and the joint where the bones meet becomes inflamed. Pain, swelling, and loss of function result. There is no cure for osteoarthritis. But some treatments can reduce pain. They can increase movement in the affected joints.

What is the first lifestyle treatment that many doctors recommend for osteoarthritis?

Find the answer at: NIH Senior Health and then use the back button to return here.

In Session 3 you'll be using Healthfinder.gov.

All material contained herein is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. Consult your health care professional for advice relating to treatment of a medical problem or condition.