Information

• HealthNewsReview - This site reviews newspaper and magazine health coverage.
• Merck Manual of Medical Information -- Home Edition
• Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide
• PAMF (Palo Alto Medical Foundation): Main Menu/Table of Contents
  PAMFOnline (for patients)
• Stanford Hospital
• Stanford HealthLink
• BlueCross of California
  Lifepath Advisers Nurseline
• PacifiCare
• HealthBuzz: SelfProfile: simplistic health assessment questionnaire (tried in beta test)
• Wellness Web
• Tips on Indoor Air Quality: from American Lung Association
• California Dept of Managed Health Care: see "California's HMO Report Card" for rating of HMOs. Also mediates conflicts.
• Department of InsuranceCalifornia Dept of Insurance handles non-HMO forms of insurance (e.g., preferred provider plans)
• WebMD
• Office of the Patient Advocate (State of California)
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of US Dept of Health and Human Services. Due in summer 2003: hospital quality report.
• HealthCentral.com
• HealthCentral.com - News: Surprising Cocktail Treats Stroke: Caffeine-alcohol combo protects against brain damage in animal, people studies, new research says.
• Resources and Information to Reduce Hospital Infections - useful Fact Sheet.
• HealthFinder.gov
• Lucile Packard Children's Hospital - Stanford University Medical Center
• Continuous Chest Compression CPR - Mayo Clinic Presentation (YouTube video)

Health Assessments

• Framingham Risk Assessment: 10-year CVD Risk Calculator = Risk Assessment Tool for Estimating 10-year Risk of Developing Hard CHD (Myocardial Infarction and Coronary Death)
• Life expectancy calculators
  • Under 50: Living To 100
  • Over 50: Eons.com

Quality Reports

• Hospitals: comparative measures for heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia
• Nursing Homes from Medicare
• Home Health Care Providers from Medicare
• Medicare Managed Care
• Kidney Dialysis facilties from Medicare
• LeapFrog Ratings of hospitals by a group of health insurance buyers
• JCAHO: Joint Commission on Accreation of Healthcare Organizations Includes info on mortality rates and preventative care
• California Health Care Foundation - ratings from patient surveys
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US Federal Agency) - consumer tips but not reports
• HealthGrades Inc - Reports for fees

Influenza

• Flu Wiki - Main - Flu Wiki

RSI/CTS

• IEA - The International Ergonomics Association
• RSI Network Newsletter: send "subscribe rsi" to majordomo@world.std.com
• Collections of links and advice
  • material and pointers
  • Tips (Joshua Goodman, Harvard)
  • ergo.human.cornell.edu
  • Deborah Quilter's RSIHelp.COM
  • Book: Repetitive strain injury: a computer user's guide by Emil F. Pascarelli and Deborah Quilter, J Wiley, 1994
  • Kids Health.orig
• Typing and Computer Related RSI
  • The Typing Injury Archive
  • FAQ on ergonomics and typing injuries
  • Computer-Related RSI (aka R.S.I. Page)
  • ErgoStar Personal Edition: Computer Work Area Ergonomic Adjustment Software software for customizing your workspace.
    Caveat: link seen in article on RSI. I have not used it.
• Equipment
  • Distributors with range of products
    • Ergonomic Sciences Corporation Home Page (Sunnyvale CA): extensive product listings, plus advice.
      past contact: Steve Marshall
  • WorkRite Ergonomics Home
  • PEN AGAIN: Ergonomic Pens, Writing Instruments, Cool New Gadgets
    Note: Refills can be hard to find in colors other than black. Compatible refills (from the insert) with additional details (as of 12/2004):
    • PenAgain: pack containing 2 black and a stylus
    • Schmidt S600 Series: black, blue, green, red, neon underliner
      Source found via search engine with largest selection (12/2004):
      • YAFA: Pens and Refills Outlet Store
      • Swisher Pens
      • Colorado Pen : expensive: about $2/refill (vs $1/refill for other sources)
      • Stylus Central: Schmidt Standard Multi Pen Ball Point Refill
    • Cross Micro Pen: black (thickness unspecified)
    • Fisher Triple Action: black and red (thickness unspecified)
    • Staedtler Multi Action: black and red. More commonly available refill packs contain 1 black and 1 red and optionally an underliner (part 930-BK3H)
    • Zebra Pocket Pen 4C: black, fine
    • Other refill source
      • Aldo Domani Refills

Other Workplace Health Issues

• Study Finds Monitors May Pose Health Risks, September 21, 2000, New York Times.
  Locally cached copy
• LCD Displays and Fluorescent Light (eye strain from certain backlights on LCD panel displays)
• Stress Unlocks Fat Cells, Ups Obesity - eMedicine Health - Consumer First Aid and Health Information

Nutrition

• Center for Science in the Public Interest
• Nutrition.gov

Exercise

• The Peak Time for Everything: Pack More in a Day By Matching Tasks To the Body's Energy; Lung Power at 5 p.m. 26 September 2012.
• Bam.gov : An interactive tool for adolescents, providing up-to-date information to increase their level of physical activity and establish fitness habits.

Back Problems

• U-Wash
• Spine Doctor

Medication issues

• Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale from the Indianapolis Discovery Network for Dementia

Sleep Problems

• Articles / advice
  • Up All Night: The science of sleeplessness by Elizabeth Kolbert, March 11, 2013
• National Sleep Foundation
• American Sleep Apnea Association
• SleepNet
• Sleep Education: American Academy of Sleep Medicines
• Bay Sleep Clinic
• Stanford Physician Referral Guide -- Sleep Disorders Clinic
• Snore Net - Bad WOT rating (2016-07)
  Source for the Pillow Positive Positional Sleep Aid from LifeSleep Systems, Inc.
• National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (part of National Institutes on Health). Primarily for researchers, but some info for general public.
• ResMed
• Respironics (major equipment manufacturer) (aka http://www.sleepapnea.com)
• ResMed (major equipment manufacturer)
• SleepQuest
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea: some symptoms
  • Limb jerking, punching and kicking during sleep
  • Morning headaches, bloodshot eyes
  • Waking up very tired (feeling exhausted) and thirsty
  • Depression, reduction in motivation
  • Irritability
  • Memory problems
  • Poor ability to concentrate
  • Poor motor skills
  • Daytime fatigue
  • Excessive sleepiness during waking hours
  • ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity)
• Books - recommendations from various sources
  • From Restless Nights: Several books offer for those suffering from sleep apnea in 2004-June-09 issue of Palo Alto Weekly.
    • 100 Questions About Sleep and Sleep Disorders by Sudhansu Chokroverty M.D. (at Amazon)
    • Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Sleep Well, Feel Better by Ralph Pascualy M.D. and Sally Warren Soest (at Amazon)
    • Restless Nights: Understanding Snoring and Sleep Apnea by Peretz Lavie M.D. (at Amazon)

Feet

• American Podiatric Medical Association

Allergies

• HEPA high efficiency air filters
• Pet Allergy: quiz and tips
• Pet Allegies/Dander from Mayo Clinic
• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
• Space-Guard: high efficiency air cleaner
• Allesearch ADS a product sprayed on carpets to suppress allergens
• Allerpet product to remove allergens from cat fur before they are released into the air.

Info on Doctors

• AMA Physician Select: OnLine Doctor Finder from the American Medical Association
• State of California Medical Board
• Santa Clara County (California) Medical Association
• Health Scope: info on medical groups. From the Pacific Business Group

Disease

• CDC National Center for Infectious Disease
• World Health Organization: Communicable Diseases
• Ebola Page
• Interview with scientist who first saw Ebola virus

Acupuncture

• Needle This: Study Hints at How Acupuncture Works to Relieve Stress By Alice ParkMarch 15, 2013

Policy

• Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us By Steven Brill Monday, Mar. 04, 2013
  Inside Bitter Pill: Steven Brill Discusses His TIME Cover Story By TIME Staff, Feb. 22, 2013
• Deadly Needles: special report from San Francisco Chronicle (SF Gate)
• Stop Hospital Infections : Despite convincing data, hospitals are resisting implementing basic procedures to cut down on infections of patients. The site is poorly organized as of this writing (Oct 2005), but if you persevere, you can find some usual info among all the redundancies.

Organ Donation

• Donate Life California Registry

Health Care Directives

• California Health Search for advance health care directive
• The Medical Directive - Home Page
• Aging With Dignity
• The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

Miscellaneous

• Where Has Your Purse Been? (Purse Hygiene: how they can spred bacteria)

Unconventional and Alternative Medicine

• Leeches: Biopharm Leeches Online Website - Suppliers of Medicinal Leeches since 1812