Health & Wellness

Featured Online Resources

AtoZ Food America

A to Z Food America – Little Dixie Regional Libraries AtoZ Food America is a United States focused database with recipes and food culture from all 50 states. It also includes historical recipes and information about regional cuisines.


AtoZ World Food

AtoZ World Food and Food America - Plainfield-Guilford Township Public LibraryRecipes and food culture from around the world. AtoZ World Food covers the cuisine of more than 200 different countries, including beverages!


Health and Wellness Resource Center

Comprehensive consumer health resource that provides authoritative information on the full range of health-related issues, from current disease and disorder information to in-depth coverage of alternative medical practices, and includes full-text medical journals, magazines, reference works, multimedia, and much more.


Health Reference Center Academic

Full text of nursing and allied health journals, plus the wide variety of personal health information sources, intended for informational purposes only.
 
 


Magill’s Medical Guide (Salem Health)

Online access to Salem Press’ Magill’s Medical Guide. It is an up-to-date and easy-to-use compendium of medical information for student researchers, patients and caregivers, covering diseases, disorders, treatments, procedures, specialties, anatomy, biology, and issues in an A-Z format.


Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange

The Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange exists to help “find youth permanent families so that they have the support system they need to live safely and to become their best selves. We believe no child should leave the foster care system without permanent connections, support, and stability.” The website features access to adoption support resources, ways to get involved, and a continually-updated database of profiles of foster children in Massachusetts waiting to find the right home.


Niche Academy: Online Learning

Tutorials created by staff in Chelmsford and libraries across the country, focusing on educational topics across a variety of subjects: business, finance, evaluating online information, health, research skills, and more. Click into any tutorial for a step-by-step guide, with text, graphic, and video instructions. We also take suggestions for new tutorials!


Psychology & Mental Health (Salem Health)

Online access to Salem Press’ Psychology & Mental Health, covering notable theories, people, social issues, life stages, the physiology and anatomy of the nervous system, and diagnoses, disorders, treatments, tests, for various mental illnesses or conditions, all in a simple, easy to use A-Z format.


Senior Services: Health and Wellness

This guide to senior services and resources related to health and wellness lists local and national organizations that provide health care support, local programs, housing and more. It also lists helpful titles in the library collection regarding healthy senior living.


 

Print Materials

Health-related print resources are shelved according to the Dewey Decimal System. Our catalog is available for searching, but general topics can also be found by browsing the shelf:

  • 610 – Medical Sciences General
  • 611 – Human Anatomy
  • 612 – Human Physiology
  • 613 – Promotion of Health
  • 614 – Forensic Medicine
  • 615 – Pharmacology and Therapeutics
  • 616 – Diseases
  • 617 – Adult Medicine and Surgery
  • 618 – Gynecology, Childbirth and Pediatrics
  • 619 – Experimental Medicine and Research

Additional Mental Health and Crisis Resources

  • National Suicide Prevention: 988, 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress
  • Call2Talk: Operated by United Way of Tri-County, you can access this helpline by calling 2-1-1 or directly by calling 508-532-2255. The helpline’s primary purpose is crisis support. However, they also offer a telecheck program. Telecheck is a phone check-in service for elder adults operated in partnership with BayPath Elder Services and Advocates. Trained call-takers contact seniors weekly to provide support and friendly conversation following sudden life changes.
  • The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds – based at Massachusetts General Hospital, is a free on-line educational resource to empower adults to support the mental, emotional and behavioral well-being of the young people in their lives, in challenging times.  It’s innovative multimedia platform offers engaging content with blogs (articles, Q+A, practical tips), videos (short films, PSAs, webinars) and a podcast, all regularly updated by new research, current events and user feedback.  Topics include anxiety, stress, depression, learning, trauma, suicide, and societal issues like digital media, cyber bullying, plus self-care and resilience building to manage through uncertainty and promote endurance.  Many of these resources are available in Spanish.
  • Crisis Text Line – Free, nationwide, 24/7 text message service for people in crisis: text HOME to 741741 in the US
  • Disabled Persons Protection Commission at (800) 426-9009 – To report abuse of a person with a disability under the age of 60.
  • Elder Abuse Hotline: 800-922-2275 – 24/7, report physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, caretaker neglect, financial exploitation, and self neglect of persons 60 years or older. Online or by phone. To report abuse of a person by nursing home or hospital, call the Department of Public Health at (800) 462-5540. Call 911 or local police if you have an emergency or life-threatening situation.
  • National Alliance of Eating Disorders: The leading national nonprofit organization providing referrals, education, and support for individuals experiencing eating disorders and their loved ones
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 799-7233 or text START to 88788. 24/7 help and access to resources for survivors of domestic violence.
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800.656.HOPE – Free, confidential, 24/7 trained support specialists who are ready to help
  • Lahey Health Behavioral Services – Provides individual and group therapy for mental health and substance use issues; addiction treatment; family services; mobile crisis teams for behavioral and substance-related emergencies; inpatient psychiatric care, plus home and school-based programs for children and teens
  • The Helpline – Free and confidential statewide, public resource for finding substance use treatment and recovery services
  • Learn to Cope – Non-profit support network for parents and family members coping with a loved one addicted to opiates or other drugs
  • Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 then press 1. 24/7 confidential crisis support for Veterans and their loved ones. (It is not necessary to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect.)  
  • William James INTERFACE Referral Service: A mental health and wellness referral service that matches your needs with licensed local providers, usually within 2 weeks. The interface is not designated to respond to urgent, emergency, or crisis situations. You can call the helpline toll free 888-244-6843, Monday through Friday 9am-5pm.

Additional Online Resources

General Health Information:

  • Choosing Wisely – Choosing Wisely is an initiative of the ABIM Foundation that seeks to advance a national dialogue on avoiding unnecessary medical tests, treatments and procedures.
  • HealthReach – National collaborative with multilingual, multicultural public health information for those working with or providing care to individuals with limited English proficiency
  • Medline Plus – Information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language consumers can understand
  • NCCN Patient Resources – The National Comprehensive Cancer Network is a not-for-profit organization. This web portal links you to over 50 patient guides for various types of cancer, webinars, and other resources for patients and caregivers.
  • Privacy and Reproductive Rights – Given the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the Massachusetts Library System has put together a guide for how this effects people’s expectations of privacy and personal information online – something that may no longer be secure as some states restrict access to reproductive health.
  • PubMed Health – Information for consumers and clinicians on prevention and treatment of diseases and conditions
  • Skinsight – Insight from experts about treating and caring for your skin. Includes a rash and skin condition finder

Prescriptions and Medications:

Wellness Resources:

  • Darebee: Funded solely by donations, Darebee offers free workouts, challenges, and guided programs most of which require little to no home equipment.  Darebee’s programs can be downloaded as PDFs.
  • Darebeets: A newcompanion site to Darebee with loads of recipes that are flavorful, eclectic, and healthy. Both sites are not just free, but ad-free!
  • UCLA Health Guided Meditations – For a free introduction to mindfulness meditation that you can practice on your own, stream or download the guided meditations recorded by UCLA MARC’s Director of Mindfulness Education, Diana Winston.

Organizations: