Web Sites Worth Watching
Abstract
In collaboration with the staff of the APA library, Psychiatric Services offers a monthly listing of mental-health-related Web sites and other sites of interest. The list will change monthly as new sites are identified, existing sites add new features, and different categories of sites are included. We'd like maintaining the list to be an interactive process, so tell us about your favorite sites or what you'd like to be able to find on the Web. You can reach us by e-mail at [email protected].
Associations
Massachusetts Medical Society—www.massmed.org
Updated daily, the society's site offers information on community health for both consumers and professionals as well as daily news and listings of publications, society members and affiliates, and career opportunities.
Alzheimer's Association—www.alz.org
A source for information, support and assistance on issues related to Alzheimer's disease, the association's Web site is divided into sections such as facts about the disease, medical issues, caretaking, and news stories that deal with the disease.
Journals
Theory and Review in Psychology—www.gemstate.net/susan/index.htm
This electronic journal focuses on making available the best theoretical and review articles in the field of psychology. Topic areas include thought development, child development, cognition, the psychospiritual domain, and imagery and self-awareness.
Medical
CDC Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues—www.cdc.gov/genetics/ethical.htm
This Web site of the Office of Genetics and Disease Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is regularly updated. It provides access to current information on human genetic research and the Human Genome Project and their impact on public health and disease prevention.
Featured Site
CDC Travel Information—http://www.cdc.gov/travel/travel.html
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travel Information Web site is a useful resource for individuals planning international travel. It provides current news about outbreaks of disease worldwide, along with comments on the level of risk to travelers in affected areas and guidelines for avoiding infection. By clicking on a world map of regions or searching by country name, travelers can obtain an overview of disease risks in that region or country and a list of any required or recommended vaccines, including vaccines for children. General measures for avoiding illness in particular countries are summarized in lists of "do's" and "don't's," and recommendations for health-related items to bring are also provided. The CDC inspects all international cruise ships twice yearly, and the site provides links to current and past sanitation scores.
Health News
American Medical Association's Health Insight—www.ama-assn.org/consumer.htm
The site covers a multitude of topics, including medical news, specific medical conditions, general health, and families. An interactive health section allows consumers to assess their risks for cancer and heart disease and develop an exercise program.
Government
U.S. Federal Government Agencies Directory—www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html
The library of Louisiana State University has compiled this listing of federal government agencies with sites on the Web. Besides offering a keyword search capability, the site allows searches in the categories of executive; judicial; legislative; independent boards, commissions, and committees; and "quasi-official."
Other Useful Resources
Mental Health Channel—www.mentalhealthchannel.com/
This Web site, from the Behavioral Sciences Media Lab at UCLA's Medical Center Neuropsychiatric Institute, features an on-line magazine, extension courses that may be taken on-line, an ongoing grand rounds series, and on-line video broadcasting of lectures from UCLA's department of psychiatry.
Crisis Prevention Institute—www.crisisprevention.com/
The site offers training and information for keeping various types of workplaces safe, including schools, businesses, corrections facilities, youth services, and health care environments.
APA Web Sites
American Psychiatric Association—www.psych.org
Recent additions include a section on the psychiatric dimensions of disaster and a brief on protecting patients from abusive managed care practices.
American Psychiatric Publishing Group—www.psychiatryonline.org
Now offering a free trial period, the site includes full-text versions of recent issues of the American Journal of Psychiatry and (new this month) Psychiatric Services.
American Psychiatric Press, Inc.—www.appi.org
Check this site for tables of contents and abstracts of back issues of APA and APPI journals. A catalog of APA and APPI publications is also available.
