Health Sciences Information Resources: Background Information

• Dictionaries and Terminology
• Encyclopedias
• Medical Reference Shelf

Dictionaries and Terminology

• The American heritage medical dictionary [online] - a comprehensive dictionary, covering diseases and conditions, treatments, microorganisms, and more. Also in print R 121 A53 2004.
• A dictionary of public health [online] - includes 5,000 words and phrases used in public health, with definitions and discussion on their relevance to people and to their health. Also in print RA 423 L37 2006.
• Dorland's illustrated medical dictionary [online] - a core dictionary for medicine and health sciences, which includes illustrations and audio pronunciations. Also in print  R 121 D73 2012.
• Slee's health care terms, 5th ed. RA 423 S55 2008 - a guide to non-medical terminology essential to understanding the US healthcare industry, including finance, managed care, government regulation, legal issues, etc.
• Stedman's medical dictionary, 28th ed. R 121 S8 2006 - a core dictionary for medicine and health sciences, which includes charts and tables to enhance definitions.
• Taber's cyclopedic medical dictionary, 20th ed. [online] - a dictionary aimed at nursing and allied health professionals, which includes images and audio files. The appendices in this dictionary provide additional information on specific topics in medicine and health care (e.g. nutrition, medical abbreviations, nursing organizations, etc.)
• Webster's new world medical dictionary, 3rd. ed. [online] - includes definitions covering all areas of medicine and health care written in language nonspecialists can understand.

Encyclopedias

• There is a subcollection of 25 health sciences reference works in the Gale Virtual Reference Library. These can also be searched individually; some examples are:
  • Gale encyclopedia of children's health: infancy through adolescence [online] - provides in-depth coverage of pediatric diseases and disorders, with issues related to physical and cognitive and behavioural development. The emphasis is on health issues affecting children under the age of four.
  • Gale encyclopedia of mental health [online] - provides detailed information on mental disorders and conditions. Also features entries for prescription, alternative and over-the-counter drugs, as well as the various therapies used to treat mental disorders.

• MedlinePlus - consumer health information, including encyclopedia articles, drug information, videos and tools.
• HealthLink BC - consumer health information tailored to people in BC.
• Medpedia - a freely accessible medical wiki with content contributed and maintained by health experts around the world. Created in association with Harvard Medical School, Stanford School of Medicine, Berkeley School of Public Health, University of Michigan Medical School and other health-related institutions and organizations. 

Medical Reference Shelf

For additional background information resources for health sciences, please view the Medical Reference Shelf, which identifies multilingual dictionaries, as well as dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks and other resources for the following subjects: Anatomy, Bioethics, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Diseases, Drugs & Pharmaceuticals, Population & Public Health, and Toxicology.