Health care consumers, including those wanting to know more about suicide prevention, want access to health care information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is estimated that 60 million Americans are now seeking healthcare information online. Consumers are increasingly turning to the Web for healthcare information to learn more about conditions like Depression, Allergies, Cancer, and Arthritis.

Health Care providers have responded to this demand with health-related Web sites, discussion groups, list serves, and electronic newsletters. A large number of online health care Web sites exist today and the number is growing. However, as in other mediums, not all online health-related publications are created equal. While many published Web sites contain accurate and timely information, some do not. This inconsistency makes it difficult for the public to rely on information found online to make informed health care choices.

The information developed for this Web site and published in the National Library of Medicine Gateway of databases has undergone a rigorous evaluation process to make sure that it is reliable and authoritative.

Other Web sites apart from these resources also provide valuable suicide prevention facts, however, in times of crisis, it can be especially difficult to evaluate quality resources.

Because intermediaries need targeted and reliable resources to determine the best course of action, this Web site has included additional readings on how to scrutinize the quality of information published online. The information published in this section:

• Describes the differences between print and online publications
• Identifies pertinent web site evaluation criteria
• Links to other sites that further inform about fraud and reliable online health care resources