Getting the Most from NNLM: Public Health

Posted by Sarah Levin-Lederer on November 19th, 2019 Posted in: NLM Resources, Public Health
Tags: Public Health, resources

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If you’re reading this blog, then you’re probably familiar with what NLM, NNLM and NNLM NER do.

Over the last month, I’ve spent time at public health conferences in Connecticut, Massachusetts and the national American Public Health Association Conference and had similar conversations at all three.  Although many public health partners are familiar with MedlinePlus and PubMed, a lot of them don’t know that these resources are part of a larger group of resources and services. If you work in public health or have public health partners, here are a few reminders or new ideas for how NLM and NNLM can work for you.

Databases and Online Resources

NLM creates and maintains a wide array of databases of health information ranging from information for the general public to highly specialized. You can search all NLM databases, but here is a sample of databases for public health partners:

• AIDSource offers access to a comprehensive collection of HIV-related resources on topics including living with HIV, HIV prevention and treatment, HIV statistics and surveillance, HIV and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) navigation, and more, in both English and Spanish.
• The LactMed App information about maternal and infant drug levels, possible effects on lactation and on breastfed infants, and alternative drugs to consider. You can also find this information online.
• The Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) develops and provides access to health information resources and technology for disaster and public health emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.
• Environmental Health and Toxicology can help you find environmental health and resources across NLM suite of databases.
• Community Health Maps provides information about low/no cost mapping tools including case studies and projects that organizations have done using these tools.
• Partners in Information Access for Public Health Workforce (PHPartners) is committed to helping the public health workforce find and use information effectively and includes listings for trainings, conferences, internships, jobs and more. PHPartners is a collaboration of government agencies, public health organizations and health science libraries.

Webinars and Classes

All NNLM regions create and host webinars that are free and available nationally.  Webinars and classes cover a wide variety of health, information and data management topics including some that may be of interest to public health professionals.

Search the full NNLM class catalog or find NNLM webinars that are CHES eligible.

Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) is a certification for individuals with a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in health education or significant coursework in the field.

Funding

Funding is available to all NNLM members.  Learn more about funding opportunities and recent funded projects.

To learn more about funding from NER, attend the NNLM NER Funding Meeting on December 16 at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (Worcester, MA).  This is a chance to hear about projects that have previously been funded and connect with NER staff. Learn more about the funding meeting and to register.