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Health Information

Use this guide to find authoritative resources to address your health concerns. If you need non-urgent medical attention or wish to speak with a healthcare professional, call 8-1-1 for HealthLinkBC, a free health information and advice phone line available 24/7 anywhere within British Columbia. Please be aware that library staff cannot provide medical interpretation or advice.

To find medical professionals and facilities in Vancouver and surrounding areas, please see our page on Health Services.

Useful Websites

Useful Website Description

Includes up-to-date BC related health information and an integrated search and mapping function to help British Columbians find health services close to their home communities.

Useful Website Description

Includes links to the 16 regulatory colleges for health care professions that operate in the province of British Columbia. These colleges maintain a directory of licensed practitioners that can be searched by the public.

Useful Website Description

Includes information on the Canadian health care system, food and nutrition, drugs and medical products, and environmental and workplace health.

Useful Website Description

Includes information on diseases and chronic conditions, injury prevention, travel health, food safety, emergency preparedness, immunization, and statistics.

Useful Website Description

More than 3,300 physicians, scientists and researchers from Mayo Clinic share their expertise to empower people to manage their health.

Useful Website Description

The online consumer version of this widely used home health text gives explanations of the causes, symptoms, and treatment of disorders.

Useful Website Description

If you live in British Columbia and need a family doctor or nurse practitioner, register for the Health Connect Registry.

Useful Website Description

 RésoSanté Colombie-Britannique supports the development, integration, and sustainability of French-language health services throughout BC

EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning is a free, searchable online tool providing consumers with safety ratings for common household cleaners.
EWG’s cosmetics database gives you practical solutions to protect yourself and your family from everyday exposures to chemicals in personal care products.
We Are Allies was created to help adults learn how to support and care for the youth in their lives. After all, it’s about coming together as allies and supporting the young people around us.

Digital Library Resources

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Science and Health Subject Icon

This database offers international coverage on a wide range of public health topics.

Access:
Everywhere for Vancouver residents
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Science and Health Subject Icon

This resource offers comprehensive medical information for students, healthcare professionals and researchers. The content is built on a core of premier scholarly journals such as: The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet and The British Medical Journal.

Access:
Everywhere for Vancouver residents
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Science and Health Subject Icon

Consumer friendly health information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Includes information on prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs and common medical conditions.

Access:
Everywhere for everyone
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Science and Health Subject Icon

Index of 4,300 biomedical journals covering the areas of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system and preclinical sciences. 

Access:
Everywhere for everyone
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Language and Literature Subject Icon

A multidisciplinary research ebook collection but with a focus on current and classic literary criticism. *Also suitable for research at the high school and undergraduate levels.

Access:
Everywhere for VPL cardholders

Recommended Titles

Call Number
616.075 C97 Central Ref. Resources
Written by clinicians renowned in their respective fields, CMDT offers the most current insight into symptoms, signs, epidemiology, and treatment for more than 1,000 diseases and disorders.
Call Number
613-618
This series of books on health-related topics provides current, authoritative, and in-depth information on a wide variety of subjects including autism, cancer, lung disorders, and eating disorders.
Remote Media URL
Cover Image for Merck Manual Home Health Handbook
Call Number
616.02 M55b2
Merck's home edition provides the same authoritative health information doctors have relied on in The Merck Manual for more than a century, but is presented in easy-to-understand language.
Call Number
615 T39 Central Ref. Resources
Unbiased, evidence-based, practical information on hundreds of medical conditions to guide clinical decision making at the point of care. Continues the "Compendium of Therapeutic Choices."