NET12 Topic 1.3 Health: What My Doctor Didn't Tell Me! Activities

Select a particular health topic that interests you for any reason (it could be a friend or relative's medical condition, for instance).  Find out more about the topic using the Internet. While you are doing this, note down the main ways you'll begin looking and your process of selecting useful sites.  What are the criteria by which you'd select sites?

 

OK, I've selected breast cancer.  I will start my search by googling for a national Australian non-profit organisation.  I'm already pretty sure there is one. The reason I am looking for an Australian organisation is that I feel it will have the most relevant information to sufferers in Australia.  I'm looking for a large organisation with credibility, a respected reputation, the backing of respected medical institutions and one who conducts independent research programs (to further the search for a cure) because I want to find out about the cutting-edge of treatments for the condition.  I'm also looking for government organisations because I feel they would be long-standing, well-funded and likely to have a lot of credible information and statistics.

I've come across www.nbcf.org.au , the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  Looking through their corporate information and FAQ shows .

I've also found a government-funded organisation's site, the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC), which is "Australia’s national authority and source of evidence-based information on breast and ovarian cancer" according to the site.  These are sites I would trust, not only for the reasons above, but because their websites have comprehensive information about the personnel involved, contact information, their mission statements and goals; they appear to cover all the bases.  Not to mention the massive online reserve of information, downloadable resources and fact sheets, and links to other more specialised resources.  There are signs and symptoms, without being super-specific, encouraging women (or men) who experience the symptoms to see a doctor.

How would you say your knowledge of the topic has changed in the course of this research?


I had no idea such a massive amount of information about this condition was available online.  It's incredibly detailed and covers the full spectrum of the disease from symptoms and diagnosis, treatment, the effects on your life and your family, and outcomes.  Not to mention all the fundraising, research and support.  The sites I chose after doing a few different searches ended up being the top-listed ones in a Google search; the most popular and relevant? The disease I chose was not really one that lends itself to online or self-diagnosis and self-treatment so I did not really find any sites that offered this; I think it's well accepted that you need to see a professional when you have any type of cancer!  There is lots of 'apomediary' information available, from support groups, to sufferers sharing knowledge around too.