Health and Wellbeing Information Sites

Are you looking for health information? To give you a head start we've compiled a list of websites considered to be trusted sources for health and wellbeing information.

WCHM is currently constructing a Women’s Health and Wellbeing Hub—an information portal that will provide links to credible and trustworthy information about health, wellbeing and services specific to women in the ACT. It will be a central source of already existing, free, useful, up-to-date and trustworthy information.

This list features a short selection of websites that will be linked to in the Hub. The websites were selected using the WCHM Website Review Criteria. The WCHM Website Review Criteria seek to ensure that the websites we link to are: transparent; credible; appropriate and relevant; accessible and usable; up-to-date; and free. We do not measure the scientific accuracy of the information provided.

We hope you find the selection useful.

• General health and wellbeing
• Women's health and wellbeing
• Specific health matters
• Mental health
• Lifestyle

General health and wellbeing

• HealthInsite: HealthInsite is a health information service which aims to improve the health of Australians by providing easy access to quality information about human health. HealthInsite allows health information to be provided to all Australians either directly or through health professionals and service providers. It is a single entry point to quality information from leading health information providers, including peak health organisations, government agencies and educational and research institutions. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au
• ABC Health and Wellbeing: The latest health news and information from across the ABC. http://www.abc.net.au/health/default.htm
• Better Health Channel: The Better Health Channel provides health and medical information to help individuals and their communities improve their health and wellbeing. Information on the Better Health Channel is provided to help people stay healthy or understand and manage their health and medical conditions. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/
• WebMD: WebMD is a source for original and timely health information as well as material from well known content providers on the Internet. They provide credible information, supportive communities, and in-depth reference material about health subjects that matter to you. http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/default.htm

Women’s Health and wellbeing

• Jean Hailes Foundation: Jean Hailes for Women's Health provides a unique response to the needs of women through excellence in research, community and professional education and clinical care. The Jean Hailes ‘Health for Women’ website is a guide to a healthy and fulfilling life. They translate the latest research findings into practical health and lifestyle approaches for women and their health professionals. http://www.healthforwomen.org.au
• Women’s Health Queensland Wide: Women’s Health Queensland Wide (Women’s Health) is a not for profit health promotion, information and education service for women and health professionals throughout Queensland. They provide services to women both directly and through others. Their total client base is therefore women, health service providers, organisations that work with women and organisations that influence women's health services and policy. Women's Health provides balanced information independent of health care provider interests for women and health workers. http://www.womhealth.org.au
• The Index: Gateway to Victorian Women’s Health and Wellbeing Data: Women’s Health Victoria is an independent state wide women’s health promotion, information and advocacy service. The Index is an online gateway to evidence-based health and wellbeing data on Victorian women and girls across a wide variety of indicators relevant to a social model of health http://www.theindex.org.au

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Specific Health Matters

• Arthritis Australia: Arthritis Australia is the peak arthritis body in Australia, supported by affiliate offices in every state and territory. Arthritis Australia provides support and information to people with arthritis as well as their families and friends aims to keep health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and community nurses informed. http://www.arthritisaustralia.com.au/
• Asthma Australia: Asthma Australia is the recognised national community voice of Australians with asthma and linked conditions and their carers. It comprises the Asthma Foundations throughout Australia, which work together to help people with asthma and linked conditions to breathe better. They provide information, education, training, advocacy and promote research. http://www.asthmaaustralia.org.au/intro/index.php
• Cancer Council Australia: As Australia's peak national non-government cancer control organisation, Cancer Council Australia advises the Australian Government and other bodies on practices and policies to help prevent, detect and treat cancer. They also advocate for the rights of cancer patients for best treatment and supportive care. Their website provides information about different types of cancer, diagnosis and treatment as well as fact sheets about living to prevent cancer. http://www.cancer.org.au/home.htm
• Cancer learning: The Cancer Learning online hub, http://www.cancerlearning.gov.au, is an initiative of Cancer Australia developed for health professionals and consumers and aims to:
  • Consolidate the enormous variety of evidence-based learning activities, resources and information in cancer care available across Australia and overseas
  • Provide a first port of call for health professionals, organisations and cancer networks who wish to undertake, build or plan professional development programs and activities in cancer care
  • Enable resources and information to be shared by cancer care providers across Australia.
• Diabetes Australia: Diabetes Australia is the national peak body for diabetes in Australia providing a single, powerful, collective voice for people living with diabetes, their families and carers. A non-profit organisation, Diabetes Australia works in partnership with diabetes consumer organisations, health professionals, educators and researchers to minimise the impact of diabetes in the Australian community. Diabetes Australia is committed to turning diabetes around through awareness, prevention, detection, management and the search for a cure. http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/
• Heart Foundation - women and heart disease: Heart disease isn't only a problem for older men. It is the leading cause of death in Australian women and is in the top five causes of years of healthy life lost. Having a basic understanding of your heart and how it functions is the first step in helping to protect it against heart disease. Most women don't know that heart disease is their number one killer so it’s vital to understand heart disease and why it's relevant to women. http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/your-heart/women-heart-disease/Pages/default.aspx
• Jean Hailes for Women’s Health: Tips for keeping your heart healthy, is offering some practical advice to women who want to reduce their risk of heart disease, the number one killer of men and women in Australia. http://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-professionals/monthly-article/previous-monthly-articles/1273-tips-for-keeping-your-heart-healthy
• Osteoporosis Australia: Osteoporosis Australia aims to reduce fractures and improve bone health in the community. This website provides valuable information about osteoporosis which is easy to access and download. http://www.osteoporosis.org.au/

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Mental Health

• SANE Australia: SANE Australia is a national charity working for a better life for people affected by mental illness—through campaigning, education and research. SANE conducts innovative programs and campaigns to improve the lives of people living with mental illness, their family and friends. http://www.sane.org
• Reach Out Australia: Reach Out is a web-based service that aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 14-25 years by providing them with information, support and skills development and by working with health professionals to strengthen the pathways between online and community based service delivery. http://au.reachout.com/
• Black Dog Institute: The Black Dog Institute is a not-for-profit, educational, research, clinical and community-oriented facility offering specialist expertise in depression and bipolar disorder. http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
• BluePages: BluePages provides information on treatments for depression based on the latest scientific evidence. BluePages also offers screening tests for depression and anxiety, a depression search engine, and links to other helpful resources. http://bluepages.anu.edu.au/
• BlueBoard: BlueBoard is an online community for people suffering from depression or anxiety, their friends and carers, and for those who are concerned that they may have depression or anxiety and want some support. The bulletin board is designed to enable people to reach out and both offer and receive help. Users wishing to post will first have to register with a made-up alias.http://blueboard.anu.edu.au/
• The Butterfly Foundation: The Butterfly Foundation is dedicated to bringing about change to the culture, policy and practice in the prevention, treatment and support of those affected by eating disorders and negative body image. The website provides resources, fact sheets and information for individuals with eating disorders and body image issues as well as their family, friends and supporters. http://www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au/
• LIFE – Living is for everyone: The Living Is For Everyone (LIFE) is a suicide and self-harm prevention resource. Dedicated to providing the best available evidence and resources to guide activities aimed at reducing the rate at which people take their lives in Australia, this site is designed for people across the community who are involved in suicide and self-harm prevention activities. http://www.livingisforeveryone.com.au/
• HealthInsite-Mental Health: HealthInsite’s mental health section links to a range of web pages and sites that provide reliable and current information about mental health, mental illness, social isolation and suicide prevention. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Mental_Health
• Beacon: Beacon is a portal of online applications for mental and physical disorders. A panel of health experts categorise, review and rate websites. These ratings are provided, along with the site link and access information.http://beacon.anu.edu.au/

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Lifestyle

• HealthInsite – Alcohol: HealthInsite’s alcohol section links to a range of web pages and sites that provide reliable and current information about alcohol abuse, alcohol and young people, alcohol related injuries and more. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Alcohol
• HealthInsite – Food and Nutrition: HealthInsite’s food and nutrition section links to a range of web pages and sites that provide reliable and current information about family nutrition, dietary guidelines, diet and conditions and more. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/content/internal/page.cfm?ObjID=000F1009-01DC-1D2D-81CF83032BFA006D&CFID=3166870&CFTOKEN=15249150
• HealthInsite – Obesity: HealthInsite’s obesity section links to a range of web pages and sites that provide reliable and current information about children and obesity, diet and overweight, exercise and fitness and treatments for obesity. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Obesity
• HealthInsite – Smoking: HealthInsite’s smoking section links to a range of web pages and sites that provide reliable and current information about the health effects of smoking, passive smoking and quitting smoking. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Smoking
• Jean Hailes Foundation – Healthy Living: The Jean Hailes Foundation’s Health for Women website has a section on healthy living, which provides useful information specifically for women about healthy eating, healthy weight, lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity. http://www.healthforwomen.org.au/healthy-living
• Parent Link: ParentLink is designed to increase parents' confidence and skills by supporting and linking them with a network of information, ideas and community services. ParentLink uses a community education approach that targets parents, aiming to provide easily accessible and up-to-date information about parenting issues and family support systems in the community. http://www.parentlink.act.gov.au
• Tune In Not Out: Provides 24hr TV for life’s challenges from mental to sexual health. Tune In Not Out brings videos, factsheets, real stories and blogs from across Australia into one central point for young people to explore. http://www.tuneinnotout.com/about-us