The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) is chock full of information on a variety of topics. The web site is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health (OWH). NWHIC is “the most reliable and current information resource on women's health today”. Free information on over 800 topics relating to women's health is available through the site or NWHIC's call center. Original health information is provided on a variety of topics; from pregnancy and breastfeeding to body image, mental health, and violence against women. Resources are also available for special populations; including minority women, women with disabilities, girls, and the Spanish speaking population (several areas of the site are available in Spanish).
The site is easy to navigate, from the homepage to specific information areas. Topics are easy to locate from the homepage or using the search bar. If a search returns no results a link provides Help and Advanced Searching Tips. The Advanced Searching Tips are excellent, even providing a glossary to assist in locating the correct terminology. The homepage offers links to numerous areas: Health Topics, Health Information, Girl's Health, Publications, Health Tools, and Statistics are an example of the vast array available from the site. Further information is provided by a Calendar of Events, Today's Health News and New and Updated Items.
NWHIC is considered a federal clearinghouse, giving access to over 1,800 organizations and 4,300 publications concerning health issues of women. The range of information on the site is outstanding; and exceptional for the clear, easy to understand presentation of often‐complicated health issues. Health Topics provides information on over 100 areas, including Adolescent Health, Autoimmune Diseases, Diabetes, and Older Women. The distinct Girl's Health sub‐site accesses information on issues (body, nutrition, bullying) facing girls between ten and sixteen years old. This was “created… to help adolescent girls learn more about some of the unique health issues and social situations they will encounter during the teen years”. A Parent/Caregiver section offers resources to help children deal with issues facing young women. An assortment of publications is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese from the web or in print. Factsheets (Eating Disorders, Lesbian Health), reports, newsletters (Steps to Healthier Women, How to Talk to Your Doctor or Nurse), and briefings/guides/inventories provide a wealth of information on topics for women.
The section for Health Professionals provides excellent links on a range of sources for physicians with women patients. Among the links are Journals and Publications, Clinical Trials, and Cultural Competency. The site provides information free of any bias; no commercial interests are represented, a relief to the consumer looking for reliable information. Although this site is primarily aimed at women, it is an outstanding site for those seeking information on the health issues facing the women they love. The reviewer cannot praise this site highly enough. It is number one for free, unbiased health information for women.
