Reporting Resources

 

Health Care and Health

This site focuses on tools to inform the public about health-related issues. Here you will find resources that focus on research, records, and the health-care industry.

Please let the Institute know about links that do not work, or about sources we should add. If a resource here helped you in covering a story, please let us know by emailing al.cross@uky.edu.

ORGANIZATIONS

Lung Cancer Alliance, http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/
"The Lung Cancer Alliance is the only national non-profit organization dedicated solely to advocating for people living with lung cancer or those at risk for the disease. Our initiatives aim to educate public policy leaders of the need for greater resources for lung cancer research while changing the face of lung cancer and reducing the stigma associated with the disease. We offer unique patient education and support programs focused on helping people directly affected by lung cancer."

National Rural Health Association, http://www.nrharural.org/
"The association’s mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of rural Americans and to provide leadership on rural health issues through advocacy, communications, education, research and leadership. The NRHA membership is made up of a diverse collection of individuals and organizations, all of whom share the common bond of an interest in rural health."

Public Health Reports, http://www.asph.org/document.cfm?page=713
"We [The Association of Schools of Public Health] publish this peer-reviewed journal bi-monthly--six issues offering articles in three main areas: public health practice, research, and viewpoints/commentaries. In the past five years we have tackled such topics as tobacco control, teenage violence, occupational disease and injury, immunization, drug policy, lead screening, health disparities, and many other key issues. The Journal's authors are on the front line of public health, and we present their work in a readable and accessible format."

Association of Health Care Journalists, http://www.healthjournalism.org/
"The Association of Health Care Journalists, Inc. is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public understanding of health care issues. Its mission is to improve the quality, accuracy and visibility of health care reporting, writing and editing. "

Skindeep, http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep2/
This site offers news about the safety of popular health & beauty products.

HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

Department of Health and Human Services, http://www.hhs.gov/
"The Department of Health and Human Services is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves."

Healthcare Informatics Online, http://www.healthcare-informatics.com/
This site is a good source for healthcare-related story ideas.

BlueCross Blue Shield Health Issues, http://bcbshealthissues.com/
Another source of ideas, but watch for slant from health insurance company.

Hospital Compare by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/
Compare how hospitals treat different medical conditions.

Office of Rural Health Policy, http://ruralhealth.hrsa.gov/ (dir Marcia Brand---Clinton appointee retained by Bush folks--- 301-443-4619 mbrand@hrsa.gov)

Technology for long-term care, http://www.techforltc.org/ltc.cfm
"Technology for Long-Term Care is a free government funded resource containing information on hundreds of technology products to improve quality of life and care for people in long-term care settings such as nursing homes, assisted living, boarding care, and adult day care programs."

MEDICAL RECORDS

My Personal Health Record, http://www.myphr.com/
A guide to understanding your records.

RESEARCH TOOLS

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, http://www.ahrq.gov/
This offers a variety of sites including information on funding and health research.

MedicineNet, http://www.medicinenet.com/healthcare_issues/index.htm
Here you can find answers to various health care questions.

National Institutes of Health, http://www.nih.gov/about/ethics_COI.htm
NIH offers material on conflicts of interest in research.

AMEDEO "The Medical Literature Guide," http://www.amedeo.com
This site lets you research medical topics and each week it will email you bibliographic lists of new scientific literature on those topics and links to abstracts of the articles themselves.

Medical search site, http://www.healthline.com/
"Search the web's best health sites."

Population Reference Bureau, http://www.prb.org/
Search population and health data on 95 demographic variables for 220-plus countries in the world. Provides stories on a variety of trends.

Atlas of Children's Health and the Environment, World Health Organization
The World Health Organization's atlas covers threats such as contaminated drinking water, indoor smoke, and the presence of dioxins and furans. A country-by-country breakout of the estimated effects around the world is provided.

United Health Foundation's Health Rankings, United Health Foundation
Find out where states rank nationally in health, and what some states are doing to be ranked healthier than others.

 

The Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues helps non-metropolitan media define the public agenda in their communities, through strong reporting and commentary on local issues and on broader issues that have local impact. Its initial focus area is Central Appalachia, but as an arm of the University of Kentucky it has a statewide mission, and it has national scope. It has academic collaborators at Appalachian State University, East Tennessee State University, Eastern Kentucky University, Georgia College and State University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Marshall University, Middle Tennessee State University, Ohio University, Southeast Missouri State University, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Washington and Lee University, West Virginia University and the Knight Community Journalism Fellows Program at the University of Alabama. It is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the University of Kentucky, with additional financial support from the Ford Foundation. To get notices of Rural Blog postings and other Institute news, click here.