Reviewer: Gina M. Augustine, MLS (St. Francis Hospital of New Castle)
Description: This handbook is a compilation of online herbal and herbal medicine resources. Web sites, mailing lists, newsgroups, and chat rooms are listed and described. Websites assessed against a list of criteria include Internet information, books, organizations/associations, laws/regulations/standards, adverse effects, consumer health information, databases/indexes, specialized health areas, and aromatherapy. Mailing lists, newsgroups, and chat room topics include frequently asked questions, fraud, alternative health concepts, patient care, and herbal plant conservation.
Purpose: The book's purpose is two-fold: first, to identify online resources for alternative drug/treatment questions and research and second, to provide navigational and evaluation tools suitable for sorting through the vast amount of information available and determining its accuracy, reliability, and relevance. Given the large number of people who use the Internet for health information and the limited number of print resources available on herbal/alternative therapies for healthcare professionals, a book of this type is certainly needed. The author's objectives are met.
Audience: This book can benefit not only individuals seeking herbal/alternative personal health information, but also physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and medical/academic librarians struggling to answer questions posed by patients and patrons. The author's experience and educational background qualify him as a credible authority in this area.
Features: In addition to listings and descriptions of online resources, the author also provides easy to understand general information on herbs, their history and industry in the United States, botanical and agricultural background including plant names, traditional medicine origins/folklore/ethnobotany, dietary supplements, and clinical trials/evidence. Criteria used for evaluation and inclusion is succinctly stated in a reference table early in the book. Numerous references are included. Both the glossary and index are excellent.
Assessment: This is an excellent, well written, organized text on herbal online resources suitable for both healthcare professionals and consumers. Online resources include not only web sites, but also mailing lists, newsgroups, and chat rooms. The author includes solid criteria for the evaluation of online resources advising the reader to thoroughly screen herbal and alternative information on the Internet. This book would be a wonderful addition to both medical and consumer health libraries.