Show Net surfi In St Petersburg For SKarrpie Information from major medical S-m- your health but beware By Wh St Petersburg started to use the Internet about two years ago she found it overMarilyn Bartholomew whelming “I'm a health nut and it was difficult at first to find the Information I wanted" says Bartholomew a retired mental health therapist and teacher who lives in suburban St Petersburg Fla “You could be on It 24 hours a day" A course at the University of South Florida and a bit of surfing gave her the confidence to search the Internet competently "It has helped because knowledge is power" she says "I ask better questions of my physician and sometimes get better information on the Internet because doctors are so busy" With more than 12000 Web sites and scores of computer mailing lists and news groups devoted to everything from traditional medicine to experimental science the Internet has become one of the first or places people turn for information and support of Internet users seek health inforAlmost two-thirmation accordng to the Medical Library Association Doctors are seeing more informed patients recently as computer users find academic and research sites whose data once were available only to a select population of professionals They also are seeing patients who are misled by sites or other computer users pro ds institu-govemme- Times non-profi- moting unproven therapies "A lot of people are out there on their own looking for Information and there is a lot of junk on the Internet" says Dr Robert J Miller medical director of the Cancer Care Center at St Anthony's Hospital In St Petersburg who has his own personal Web site as a gateway for Ns patients onto the Internet He created his site as a defensive move he says because he knows patients especially those with cancer want as much Information as they can get "My assumption Is people are going to look so why not look over my shoulder and I can direct them to tiie most credible sites” says Miler But what if you are out there on your own looking for Information Doctors computer teachers Web site devefopera and computer users offer this advice: — Remember that almost anyone can create a Web site "Unless it says right up front where the Information is and you trust the source you should be wary" says CeCe Bowman a senior systems analyst who helped develop the Web site for Bayfront Medical ts I I CONTINUED ON 15 of people are out there on their own looking for information and there is a lot of junk on the internet” — Dr Robert J “A lot Take The Guess Work of Getting A Home Crmig WAST&m Farnsworth C5cE5nSMrKait Duetin & Michelle Swenson George Underwriting? Fast Service Serviced Locally CTFree PrequalificaticO rrSO Minute Loan Approval XZbJkfrche Mortgage In-hou-se J) It' AUTHUKIZ1U STATEW1LX DISIKIHUIl 539 N Main Logan 752-580- 0 Utah's Largest Spa Distributor nt research agencies and similar health associations is a safer bet than an individual's personal Web page And Bowman says be wary of commercial sites that are pushing a product or a therapy (Note: Commercial Web site addresses end with "com" while end in "org" Government sites end with "gov") Bowman also suggests you look for information on the site about how the institution government or Individual selects and screens what is posted And look too for an indication of when the site was updated If the last time was a year or two ago you should be cautious It usualy is safe to use a reputable Internet gateway site at site such as the government-sponsore- d Healthfinder Is an easy http:tawwhealthfindergov way to find the kind of information you need on everything from diseases to medicaidfotionaries If you want to troll on your own try the Yahoo search engine (http:wwwyahoocom) because it breaks down your searches into manageable chunks Also try a relatively new search engine Ask Jeeves! (http:wwwaskjeevescom) which allows you to search by asking a simple question For example if you Ask Jeeves "Where can find Information on arthritis?” tt searches major Internet search engines for you but also reduces your question to other questions well-kno- Jfi V3 N-Main 750-550-0 |