Consumer Health Books . . . if You Have $1900 (core list)
By Susan Murray, MLS
Consumer Health Information Service
Toronto Reference Library
789 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4W 2G8
Updated April 2008
This list provides a basic collection of medical books that are useful in consumer health collections at an estimated cost of $1900.00 (prices given in Canadian dollars with U.S. prices also included for non-Canadian titles). Individual prices do not include taxes, unless otherwise indicated. Taxes (5% GST, 8% PST) were applied to the total amount. The list consists of consumer or lay language material, as well as several basic professional texts.
This collection should address many of the health questions received by public and consumer health libraries. For more complex health questions requiring additional information resources, consumers are encouraged to phone the Consumer Health Information Service at 416-393-7056 (Toronto area) or 1-800-667-1999 (Ontario).
American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 3rd ed. rev. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2006. $59.99 ($50.00 U.S.) 0470048425
- A practical resource for healthful eating.
Bowes & Church’s Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 18th ed. Jean A.T. Pennington & Judith Spungen Douglass. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005. $92.06 ( $89.95 U.S.). 0781782899
- Food composition tables provide values for 30 nutrients in approximately 8,000 foods which are grouped into 32 sections. Supplementary tables provide information on additional food components.
Canadian Medical Association Complete Home Medical Guide, 2nd ed. Catherine Younger-Lewis, Editor-in-Chief. Toronto: Dorling Kindersley, 2005. $65.00 1553630548
- Physician-reviewed Canadian home reference “explains how the body works, provides tools for interpreting symptoms, describes how and why diseases occur, and outlines the details of modern diagnostic tests and treatments.” Clearly written and generously illustrated.
Canadian Medical Directory. Published annually in July. Toronto, ON: Business Information Group in association with Canadian Medical Association. $323.75. (2007, 53rd edition). Also available on CD-ROM and online as MDSelect. Customer Service: 416 442-2122 (Toronto) or 1-800-668-2374.
E-mail for product information: sales@scottsinfo.com
- Directory of certified Canadian physicians, both specialists and general practitioners. Additional listings include university faculties of medicine, provincial ministries of health, Canadian hospitals, medical associations and expert medical witnesses.
Canadian Pharmacists Association Guide to Drugs in Canada: The Essential Home Reference to Over 2000 Medications. 2d ed. Toronto: Dorling Kindersley, 2006. $30.00. 1553630769
- This home reference guide covers such topics as drug classification, mechanisms of action and the proper use of medicines. Profiles 260 generic drugs, providing information on adverse effects, special precautions, interactions and the effects of prolonged use.
Caring for Kids: The Complete Canadian Health Guide for Children. Norman Saunders and Jeremy Friedman. Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2006. $29.95 1552637328
- Guide to health and wellness in children from birth to age 10. Includes information on how to identify and manage specific symptoms, conditions that affect children and how they should be treated, and managing common accidents and emergencies that occur in childhood. Published in co-operation with Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children.
Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties. Published annually in March. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Pharmacists Association. $219.00 (2007 Edition). French edition available. Order online or contact Customer Service: 613-523-7877, 1-800-917-9489. CPS online: e-CPS is available by subscription. Details available here.
- Commonly known as the CPS, this volume contains current information on close to 3,000 drugs, an index cross-referencing generic and brand name drugs, a list of discontinued products, a therapeutic guide, a pharmaceutical manufacturers/distributors directory and quick reference clinical information. The product identification section contains full-colour reproductions of selected products.
- This is available in electronic format inside all TPL branches (library card and PIN required)
The Complete Canadian Health Guide, Revised Edition. June Engel. Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2005. $39.95 1552636666
- Published in association with the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, this guide includes chapters on cultivating a healthier lifestyle, health concerns throughout the lifespan, symptoms and management of common ailments, emergency first aid and more.
The Directory of Self-Help/Mutual Aid Groups 2006 Edition. Toronto: The Self-Help Resource Centre, 2006. $25.00 members, $30.00 self-help groups & non-profits, $35.00 professionals. Self-Help Resource Centre, 40 Orchard View Blvd., Suite 219, Toronto, M4R 1B9 e-mail: shrc@selfhelp.on.ca. Phone: 416-487-4355 (in Toronto), 1-888-283-8806 (in Ontario, Fax: 416-487-0344. Website: www.selfhelp.on.ca
- Contains listings of (1) self-help/mutual aid groups located in the Greater Toronto Area (2) provincial self-help organizations (3) professionally-led groups where there are currently no self-help groups dealing with a specific issue, or where these resources are limited (4) other self-help centres in Ontario and across Canada
Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 31st ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co., 2007. $57.95 ($49.95 U.S.) 141602364X (cloth)
- Dorland’s covers all of the integral terminology of contemporary health care.
Guide to Canadian Healthcare Facilities. Published annually in September. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Healthcare Association Press. $159.95 (2007-2008 Edition). ISSN 1195-0110 Phone: 613-241-8005, Fax: 613-241-5055, E-mail: guide@cha.ca
- Directory of Canadian hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities, arranged by province/city. Also lists healthcare associations, regional health authorities and hospital equipment and medical suppliers.
Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine 17th ed. Anthony S. Fauci et al., Editors. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008. 2 vols. $199.00 (same for U.S.) 0071466339
- Provides an overview of internal medicine and an encyclopedic, up-to-date reference that incorporates current research. Contributors are experts in their fields. The text is technical and aimed a practitioners providing in-depth information not found in the consumer guides.
Merck Manual of Health and Aging: The Comprehensive Guide to the Changes and Challenges of Aging for Older Adults and Those Who Care for and about Them. Mark Beers, Editor-in-Chief. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 2005. $15.16 ($18.95 U.S.) 0345482743 (trade paper)
- Information on how the body ages, preventive care and good nutrition, many conditions that are common in older adults, medical tests, drugs and aging, complementary and alternative medicine, and more. Available online at http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_ha/contents.html
Merck Manual of Medical Information: Second Home Edition rev.. Mark Beers, Editor-in-Chief. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 2004. $21.99 ($19.95 U.S.) 0743477332 (paperback)
- “ … the home reference version of The Merck Manual … contains virtually all of the information in the physicians’ version, but is written in easy-to-understand, everyday language with a reader-friendly format.” Also available online at www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/
Mosby’s Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & Health Professions, 7th ed. rev. St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby, Inc., 2006. $45.95 ($39.95 U.S.). 0323035620
- Full-colour dictionary of health care terminology. Features an anatomy atlas, appendices and a companion CD-ROM.
NORD Guide to Rare Disorders Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2003. $76.66 (99.95 U.S.) 0781730635
- Covers 800 rare diseases, with entries written by over 600 experts. For each disease, the following information is provided: definition, synonyms, differential diagnosis, signs and symptoms, etiology/epidemiology, treatment, and bibliographic references. Prepared in association with the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
PDR for Herbal Medicines, 4th ed. Montvale, NJ: Thomson Healthcare, 2007. $61.95 ($59.95 U.S.)
1563636786
- Contains information on over 700 botanicals, including description, pharmacology, indications and contraindications, adverse reactions and dosage. In addition to an alphabetical index, there is a drug/herb interactions guide, an herb identification guide, an indications index, a manufacturers' index and more.
Professional Guide to Diagnostic Tests. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004. $51.50 ($49.95 U.S.) 1582553041
- Covers more than 550 laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures.
Professional Guide to Diseases, 9th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008. $51.50 ($49.95 U.S.) 0781778999
- Provides information on more than 600 diseases, and includes information on signs and symptoms, diagnostic tests and treatment.