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Summer
2006
A Thick Skin Won't Save You From Sun Damage
Summer's here and that means more time outdoors with greater skin exposure
to the sun and nature's elements. Sun exposure has been proven to be the leading cause of skin cancer. According
to the American Cancer Society, “Many
of the more than 1 million skin cancers diagnosed each year could be prevented with protection from the sun’s rays.”
Sunlight can be used to treat some skin diseases like psoriasis, but
overexposure to the sun can cause many skin problems including sunburn, wrinkles, freckles, skin texture changes,
and skin cancers. It has also been known to cause rash problems.
This issue of FootNotes presents three websites to help you achieve a
safe and healthy summer of fun in the sun.
The Los Angeles Metropolitan Dermatological Society created a wonderfully
informative site called Sun Safety for Kids. Initially designed to
provide information, tips, and resources to help school administrators develop a comprehensive sun safety program,
and with many tips for parents to use!
SkinCancerNet bills
itself as a comprehensive online skin cancer information resource. You will find information on skin cancer and
its appearance. In addition, there are personal stories from skin cancer patients, how to perform a self-examination,
sunscreen facts, and locating a dermatologist in your area. This is part of the SkinCarePhysicians.com website
which can be located on the Consumer Health & Education Resources page.
DermNet is the website of the New Zealand Dermatological Society. It provides comprehensive
authoritative information on skin conditions and problems for both consumers and healthcare professionals. Its'
Skin Cancer page
provides detailed descriptions of both common and uncommon cancers of the skin. Its' page on Sun Protection is not only informative but has numerous links to many other websites.
Will West Nile Virus Make It Here This Summer?...Hopefully Not!
There are estimates that this may be the year the West Nile Virus makes
its' arrival in our human population. The Washington State Department of Health began its surrveillance for the
West Nile Virus On June 21, 2006. The virus was detected in a horse, a dead bird and two mosquito samples in Washington
last summer, yet there still has not been a reported case of human illness acquired in our state.
Avoiding this disease may be as simple as not being bitten by a mosquito.
Some other facts and tips to help you can be found on our West Nile Virus
Resources page. Though not a new page, we have been
tracking and informing our website visitors on this disease for the past four years!
What can you do and where do you turn to for help? This informative page
has a number of resources to assist you in understanding this problem and where you may find some help. You can
locate this page on our Consumer Health & Education page.
What's New On The Virtual Medical Library?
If you would like to keep up with new resources or services that may
be available in the Medical Library or on the Virtual Medical LIbrary, it still remains just one click away!
Click on the new Medical Library "Post-It" that appears each time you
enter the Virtual Medical Library. This "Post-It" has a link that you can click to see what new sites
or resources have been added. We hope to update "What's New On The
Virtual Medical Library?" twice monthly. Check
it out!
If you would like to see what we have added in the past, you can view
the Index.
Websites U-Can Use
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
This agency performs specific functions concerning the effect on public
health of hazardous substances in the environment. Some of these functions include public health assessments of
waste sites, health consultations concerning specific hazardous substances, health surveillance and registries,
and response to emergency releases of hazardous substances. Find this on the Government Resources page then click on the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services category link.
American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)
Founded in 1982, AICR supports research into the role of diet and nutrition in the prevention and treatment
of cancer.
With the diet-cancer link clearly established, AICR has continued to carry out its dual mission of sponsoring research that will
generate further knowledge while producing educational programs and materials concerning its established diet and
lifestyle guidelines. To date, the AICR has committed tens
of millions of dollars for research related to diet and cancer. In addition, AICR continues to establish wide ranging education programs bringing its message of
cancer prevention through diet and nutrition to millions of Americans.
You can locate its link along with many other assorted cancer-related
resources on the Consumer Health & Education
page.
Legal Guide for Older Americans
The American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging created this
legal information guide specifically designed for senior citizens. It provides an overview of 10 topics, including
age discrimination, retirement rights and benefits, Medicare, housing and long-term care. Each chapter is a separate
PDF document.
This resource can be found on the Virtual Medical Library's Consumer Health & Education page under the Aging, Elder Care, & Caregiving
heading.
New Books in the Library
Take a moment to check the NEW EDITION! and NEWLY ADDED!
additions on our Online Textbooks page, as well!
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