Research Guides: Street Medicine: Consumer Health/Patient Education

For Patients

Self-education materials for patients. Other languages are noted.

Healthcare.gov This link opens in a new window
This US government website uses plain language to explain current laws and regulations relating to health insurance and health care in the United States. You can enroll in or change health insurance plans if you have certain life events or income, or qualify for Medicaid or CHIP.
MedlinePlus This link opens in a new window
MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it has information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues. Includes health information in multiple languages.
MedlinePlus en Espanol This link opens in a new window
Informacion de salud y documentos de lectura facil. Informese sobre temas de salud, bienstar, enfermedades y trastornos.
Healthfinder This link opens in a new window
Resources on a wide range of health topics selected from over 1,600 government and non-profit organizations. Includes online checkups, activity and menu planners, health calculators, and health news. All content is available in English & Spanish.
National Institute on Aging - Health Information This link opens in a new window
Helps seniors find answers to their medical questions. Includes large print, short, easy-to-read info and simple navigation. Special buttons can enlarge text or turn on high contrast.
Physician Data Query (PDQ) from National Cancer Institute This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive source of cancer information. Contains: PDQ Cancer Information Summaries, Editorial Boards, Levels of Evidence, NCI Drug Information Summaries; NCI Dictionaries, Cancer Genetics Services. Selected content available in Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic.
UpToDate - Patient Education This link opens in a new window
Freely available patient education materials about common medical conditions and procedures.

American Psychiatric Association: Public
Learn about common mental disorders, including symptoms, risk factors and treatment options. Find answers to common questions written by leading psychiatrists and links to additional resources.
Health Misinformation Resources from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine
This guide aims to provide libraries, medical professionals, and others with tools and knowledge to address health misinformation effectively.
The Jed Foundation
The Jed Foundation (JED) is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults, giving them the skills and support they need to thrive.
KidsHealth
Nemours® KidsHealth® was founded in 1995 for sharing knowledge, advice, perspective, and comfort with families everywhere. All content is available in English & Spanish.
Medical Board of California
With a mission to protect patient health care consumers through appropriate licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons, and to promote quality medical care.
National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)
NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives. All content is available in English & Spanish.
Pubmed Patient Education Handouts
Search a condition or topic, then see Article Type filter on the left of results. Choose Additional filters button. Find and tick box next to Patient Education Handouts.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMSHA)
SAMSHA is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation.

For Health Professionals - USC Resources

Resources intended for use by health care professionals to educate patients.

AAFP (American Association of Family Physicians) Conditions A-Z
This textbook in the Stat!Ref collection provides brief, consumer-level descriptions of 1000+ common diseases, conditions, and medications. About half of these summaries are also available in Spanish.

AccessMedicine This link opens in a new window
Click on the "Patient Ed" tab to view titles. Each handout summarizes basic information about a condition and provides treatment options.
ClinicalKey This link opens in a new window
Run a search and select 'Content Type: Patient Education' or select the 'Patient Education' tab to browse topics. Easy to read, also includes Spanish.

UpToDate Lexidrug Patient Education (formerly Lexicomp)
Click on "patient education" to find 1000+ handouts for patients in English and Spanish covering common conditions, medical procedures, and RX and OTC medications.

Micromedex This link opens in a new window
From the Micromedex homepage, select "CareNotes System." Search by keyword or use the tabs at the top to browse.
Languages: English & Spanish Patient education information for diseases, drugs, procedures, labs, how to, and dietary.
Languages: English & Spanish; Top 100 drugs & discharge documents: available in 13 other languages.