Researching Your Health
Seminar Introduction
Course Section
Which one sounds like you?
- After you leave your doctor's office, you still have questions about what you were told about your condition and treatment.
- After you leave your doctor's office, you have second thoughts about a new prescription. Do you really need it?
- You're worried about your older parent or friend being on so many prescriptions.
- You see so many drug ads on TV. You feel overwhelmed by all the information. You wonder what is hype and what is legitimate. You're not sure what really applies to your medical situation.
- You still have some questions about your prescription drugs after visiting with your doctor.
- You know you've read something new about a medication you're taking, but can't recall the details.
- There's a lot on the news about harmful drug interactions. But you forgot to ask your pharmacist about specific cautions for your medicine.
It's normal to want more information about your medical condition, treatment, and prescriptions, even after talking with your doctor and pharmacist. Many consumers want more details on why a certain drug—or any drug—is the right treatment for their condition. They also want to understand about side effects, and how to avoid dangerous drug interactions.
In this seminar, you'll learn how to do your own research. AARP suggests reliable Web sites where research is easy. You'll learn how to get essential information about your medical condition, its treatments and prescription and over-the-counter drugs. You can also practice, to get ready to research your own condition and medicines.
Technical Requirements
To appreciate this seminar experience, it is critical that you have the appropriate software, plug-ins, and network connections. Please take the time to download the latest versions of the plug-ins mentioned below if you do not already have them.
Browser: Internet Explorer 6 and higher, Netscape 7.2 and higher or equivalent browser. Your browser must be JavaScript-enabled and must be set to accept cookies.
Network Connection: The recommended minimum connection is 56Kbps. A faster connection is encouraged to take better advantage of the media elements in the seminar.
Contributors
AARP Health Promotion Team
This seminar is brought to you through the AARP Health Promotion
Team, which helps AARP members achieve and enhance their health
goals. The seminar is part of a project to help Americans 50 and
older use medications wisely. To support this goal, AARP is 1)
developing a wide variety of print resources and messages; 2)
partnering with other organizations that share an interest in
appropriate medication use; and 3) advocating for federal and
state requirements that enable wise medication use.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, www.aarp.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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.
