Financial and Life Planning Resource Directory

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Body: Physical illness / health / wellness
Consumers/clients: Family: Marriage
	Health Effect of Marriage and Other Social Relationships (Population Reference Bureau), June 1, 2000
		http://www.prb.org/Journalists/Webcasts/2009/marriage.aspx, Free Kent's 20-minute webcast interview with Linda Waite on the feects that marriage and social relationships have on health.
	Hughes, Mary Elizabeth, and Waite, Linda J., "Marital Biography and Health at Mid-Life", Journal of Health and Social Behavior, September 2009 (Vol. 50, No. 3)
		http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asoca/jhsb/2009/00000050/00000003/art00007 Both the divorced and widowed who do not remarry show worse health than the currently married on all dimensions. Dimensions of health that seem to develop slowly show strong effects of past marital disruption, whereas others seem more sensitive to current marital status.
	Liu, Hui, and Umberson, Debra J. , "The Times They Are a Changin': Marital Status and Health Differentials from 1972 to 2003", Journal of Health and Social Behavior, September 2008 (Vol. 49, No. 3)
		http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asoca/jhsb/2008/00000049/00000003/art00001 The authors find that the old bromide that married people are healthier than unmarried people still tends to be true for women, and that divorced and separated women are particularly susceptible. But the health gap between married and unmarried men is closing.
Consumers/clients: Family: Divorce, separation
	Singleton, Perry, Insult to Injury: Disability, Earnings, and Divorce
		Boston College Center for Retirement Research, November 2009, Free http://crr.bc.edu/images/stories/Working_Papers/wp_2009-25.pdf Singleton finds that the effect of disability on divorce decreases with age, increases with education, and increases with disability severity.
Consumers/clients: Family: Parent-child or -grandchild
	Creating a Family Health History (National Institutes of Health / Senior Health)
		http://nihseniorhealth.gov/creatingafamilyhealthhistory/toc.html, Free This site explains the benefits and methods of creating a family health history.
Consumers/clients: Mid-career, wealth-building
	Fustos, Kate, Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Old-Age Disability in the U.S.
		U.S. Population Research Bureau, June 2010, Free http://www.prb.org/Articles/2010/oldagedisability.aspx Fustos reports that people of lower socioeconomic status did not benefit as much from declining disability rates between 1982 and 2002, and there were actually increases in disability for some groups.
	Johnson, Richard W., et al, Work Ability and the Social Insurance Safety Net in the Years Prior to Retirement
		Boston College Center for Retirement Research, November 2009, Free http://crr.bc.edu/images/stories/Working_Papers/wp_2009-28.pdf The authors investigate the problem of disability, particularly in people age 55-64, laying out data on who is affected and how badly.
	Trends and Innovations in Disability Income Insurance: An Update from America’s Health Insurance Plans
		AHIP Center for Policy Research, January 2010, Free http://www.ahipresearch.org/pdfs/Trends_DI_Insurance_Dec09.pdf This industry association report highlights new features being offered in the health insurance industry to help meet the particular challenges of covering employee disability in a difficult economy.
Consumers/clients: Late career, retirement
	Chung, Sukyung, et al, "Effect of Retirement on Weight, The", Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, September 2009 (Vol. 64B, No. 5)
		http://psychsocgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/64B/5/656 The authors document that people who are close to retirement age show the highest rates of weight gain and obesity.
	Health Care Utilization Among Adults Aged 55–64 Years: How Has It Changed Over the Past 10 Years?
		U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, March 2010, Free http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db32.pdf Among other findings, outpatient hospital procedures have roughly doubled, while inpatient visits, though stable in frequency, have changed in kind.
	Johnson, Richard W., et al, Disability Just Before Retirement Often Leads to Poverty
		Urban Institute, January 2009, Free http://www.urban.org/uploadedpdf/412009_disability_retirement.pdf Tha authors explain how many Americans who develop disabilities in their fifties or early sixties fall into poverty.
	Johnson, Richard W., et al, Work Ability and the Social Insurance Safety Net in the Years Prior to Retirement
		Urban Institute, November 2009, Free http://www.urban.org/uploadedpdf/412008_work_ability.pdf This report examines disability benefit receipt, income, and poverty status for a sample of Americans as they age, and reveals that fewer than half of people who meet the authors’ disability criteria ever receive disability benefits in their fifties or early sixties.
	McGill, Thomas M., Optimizing Function in Old Age: Our Grandparents, Our Parents, Our Future Selves,
		Syracuse University Center for Policy Research, 2010, Free http://www-cpr.maxwell.syr.edu/pbriefs/pb42.pdf McGill emphasizes that functional decline and disability are dynamic processes with high rates of recovery; and that disability is clearly preventable through exercise and physical activity, through fall prevention, and perhaps in the future through pharmacologic treatment.
	Schoenborn, Charlotte A. and Heyman, Kathleen M., Health Characteristics of Adults Aged 55 Years and Over: United States, 2004–2007
		Centers for Disease Control, July 8, 2009, Free http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr016.pdf This report, National Health Statistics Report No. 16, highlights selected health characteristics of four age groups of older adults — 55-64 years, 65-74 years, 75-84 years, and 85 years and over — using data from the 2004 through 2007 National Health Interview Survey.
	U.S. News Best Hospitals (U.S. News & World Report)
		http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings, Free Ranks some 5,000 U.S. hospitals for 16 adult specialties, using death rates, patient safety, and ratings by 9,000 specialists.
	Using State Hospital Discharge Data to Compare Readmission Rates in Medicare Advantage and Medicare’s Traditional Fee-for-Service Program
		AHIP Center for Policy Research, May 2010, Free http://www.ahipresearch.org/pdfs/9State-Readmits.pdf This study found greater reductions in hospital readmission rates for patients using Medicare Advantage programs.
Consumers/clients: Aging
	Albert, Faye S., et al, Health Expectancy
		Society of Actuaries / Living to 100 and Beyond Symposium, January 2008, Free http://www.soa.org/library/monographs/retirement-systems/living-to-100-and-beyond/2008/january/mono-li08-6b-albert.pdf The authors examine the odds of someone of a certain age (sex, smoking status, etc.) remaining healthy up to a given later age, or of needing assisted living or nursing care.
	American Geriatric Society Foundation for Health in Aging
		http://www.healthinaging.org/about/index.php The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) aims to build a bridge between the research and practice of geriatrics health care professionals and the public, and to advocate on behalf of older adults and their special needs.
	Cherry, Donald, Population Aging and the Use of Office-based Physician Services
		U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 2010, Free http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db41.pdf The authors show that older people are increasingly seeing medical specialists instead of primary care physicians.
	Davey, Adam, et al, "Cognitive Function, Physical Performance, Health, and Disease: Norms From the Georgia Centenarian Study", Experimental Aging Research, October-December, 2010 (Vol. 36, No. 4)
		http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a926880122~frm=titlelink The authors provide, for the first time, normative data on cognitive functioning and physical performance, health and health behaviors, and diseases from a population-based sample of centenarians and near-centenarians.
	Dorner, Becky, "Creative Nutrition: Solutions for Failure-to-Thrive Patients", Aging Well, Fall 2010 (Vol. 3, No. 4)
		http://www.agingwellmag.com/archive/110310p8.shtml, Free Dorner talks about identification, assessment, and treatment of failue to thrive, including nutrition, drugs, and exercise.
	Drewes, Yvonne M., et al, "Effect of Cognitive Impairment on the Predictive Value of Multimorbidity for the Increase in Disability in the Oldest Old, The: The Leiden 85-plus Study", Age and Ageing, May 2011 (Vol. 40, No. 3)
		http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/content/40/3/352.abstract Based on research in the Netherlands, the authors found that very old people with two or more serious illnesses are more prone to disability, but that this is not the case when there is cognitive impairment.
	Eure, Marian Anne, "Your Annual Checkup", 2010
		http://seniorhealth.about.com/cs/prevention/a/checkup.htm, Free A list of tests your regular check-up should include if you are over 50.
	Griffith, Lauren, et al, "Population Attributable Risk for Functional Disability Associated with Chronic Conditions in Canadian Older Adults", Age and Ageing, November 2010 (Vol. 29, No. 6)
		http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/content/39/6/738.abstract The authors report that in community-dwelling older adults, foot problems, arthritis, cognitive impairment, heart problems, and vision are the major determinants of disability.
	Hospitalization Happens: A Guide to Hospital Visits for Individuals with Memory Loss
		National Institute on Aging, 2009, Free http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/happens.htm Brochure designed to help relieve patient and family stress by preparing for both unexpected and planned hospital visits.
	Johns Hopkins Medical Guide to Health After 50
		Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers, 2006 http://www.amazon.com/Johns-Hopkins-Medical-Guide-Health/dp/1579124690/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281396155&sr=1-2 Good information, though no longer totally up-to-date, by the editors of The Johns Hopkins Medical Letter Health After 50.
	Kaiser, Heinz Juergen, "Mobility in Old Age", Journal of Applied Gerontology, August 2009 (Vol. 28, No. 4)
		http://jag.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/28/4/411 Kaiser argues that in addition to removing barriers to mobility, more emphasis is needed with respect to emotional, motivational and social aspects of being mobile.
	Kendig, Hal, et al, "Health, Social and Lifestyle Factors in Entry to Residential Aged Care: an Australian Longitudinal Analysis", Age and Ageing, May 2010 (Vol. 39, No. 3)
		http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/39/3/342 The authors conclude that it is important to treat or ameliorate medical conditions, promote healthy lifestyles and consider gender-specific risks.
	"Percentage of Adults Aged ?65 Years Limited in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), by Poverty Ratio and Number of Limitations - National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2003–2007", Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 23, 2009 (Vol. 58, No. 41)
		http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5841.pdf, Free Data in this brief report show a clear correlation between poverty and number of ADLs with which the elderly need help.
	Moreh, Elior, et al, "Fatigue, Function, and Mortality in Older Adults", Journals of Gerontology (Medical Sciences): Series A, August 2010 (Vol. 65A, No. 8)
		http://biomedgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/65A/8/887.abstract The authors confirm that fatigue among the elderly, up to and including the oldest old, has a significant negative impact on health status, function, and mortality.
	Phillips, Cheryl, "Cultural Sensitivity: A Wellness Program Necessity", Aging Well, Fall 2008
		Free Phillips emphasizes that in order to provide health and wellness in a truly person-centered way, we must take into account language and literacy, dietary customs, family and community structure, and an individual’s cultural and personal views on health, wellness, and illness.
	Senior Health Assessments (University of Rochester Medical Center)
		http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/senior-health/health-assessments.cfm, Free Why an assessment of your health is important, what kind of reviews and tests should be done, and what sorts of medical professionals can do them for you.
	Sleep and Aging (U.S. National Institutes of Health)
		http://nihseniorhealth.gov/sleepandaging/toc.html, Free Links to authoritative information on sleep, sleeping well, and dealing with sleep disorders as one ages.
	Sleep Disorders (AgingCare.com)
		http://www.agingcare.com/Sleep-Disorders, Free Links to articles, discussions, and Q&A on sleep problems.
	Sleeping Well as You Age (HelpGuide.org)
		http://helpguide.org/life/sleep_aging.htm, Free A very nice overview of sleep issues (its importance, how it changes as we age, and tips for sleeping better), with further links to other resources.
	Stallard, Eric, Estimates of the Incidence, Prevalence, Duration, Intensity and Cost of Chronic Disability among the U.S. Elderly
		Society of Actuaries / Living to 100 and Beyond Symposium, January 2008, Free http://www.soa.org/library/monographs/retirement-systems/living-to-100-and-beyond/2008/january/mono-li08-3b-stallard.pdf Stallard estimates the burden of chronic disability on the U.S. elderly population, using sex-specific measures of long-term care (LTC) service use, intensity and costs.
	Trends in Disability, Community Living, and Caregiving: Analysis of Data from the National Long-Term Care Survey
		AARP Public Policy Institute, September 2010, Free http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/ppi/ltc/inb186-trends.pdf AARP emphasizes that the long-term trend is toward lower levels of disability among older people, and toward a greater proportion of the elderly disabled being able to live in a community setting.
	Weil, Andrew, Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being
		Anchor, 2007, $14.95 http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Aging-Lifelong-Guide-Well-Being/dp/0307277542/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272914909&sr=1-1-spell Weil's book is a bit scientific but, for most people, not overly so, and it has a been a popular guide to senior health for a few years now.
	Wolinsky, Frederic D., et al, "Continuity of Care with a Primary Care Physician and Mortality in Older Adults", Journals of Gerontology Series A: Medical Sciences, April 2010 (Vol. 65A, No. 4)
		http://biomedgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/65A/4.toc The authors conclude that continuity of care with a primary care physician is associated with substantial reductions in long-term mortality in the elderly..
Consumers/clients: Ethnic or racial groups
	Bloom, Barbara, and Cohen, Robin A., Young Adults Seeking Medical Care: Do Race and Ethnicity Matter?
		U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2011 (NCHS Brief #55), Free http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db55.htm Bloom and Cohen found that young Hispanic Americans are much less likely to have health insurance than their black or anglo peers, but that among the uninsured, non-Hispanic white young people are more likely to have unmet medical needs.
	Spencer, S. Melinda, et al, "Racial Differences in Self-Rated Health at Similar Levels of Physical Functioning: An Examination of Health Pessimism in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study", Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psy-chological Sciences and Social Sciences, January 2009 (Vol. 64, No. 1)
		http://psychsocgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/64B/1/87, Free The authors confirm and expand on previous reports that African Americans tend to self-report distinctly lower quality of health than white people do, given the same levels of objective health and socio-economic status.
Consumers/clients: Gender groups
	Springer, Kristen W., and Mouzon, Dawne N., "Macho Men’ and Preventive Health Care Implications for Older Men in Different Social Classes", Journal of Health and Social Behavior, June 2011 (Vol. 52, No. 2)
		http://hsb.sagepub.com/content/52/2/212.abstract Springer and Mouzon report that men with strong masculinity beliefs are only half as likely as men with more moderate masculinity beliefs to receive preventive care. They think this may be a partial explanation for the paradox of men’s lower life expectancy, despite higher socio-economic status.
	van Uffelen, Jannique G. Z, et al , "What Is a Healthy Body Mass Index for Women in Their Seventies? Results From the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health", Journals of Gerontology (Medical Sciences): Series A, August 2010 (Vol. 65A, No. 8)
		http://biomedgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/65A/8/847.full The authors find that, while the WHO recommendation for Body Mass Index in older women is appropriate for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and hospitalization, a slightly higher BMI range may be optimal for osteoporosis and mortality.
	Women and Health: Today's Evidence, Tomorrow's Agenda
		World Health Organization, 2009, Free http://www.who.int/gender/documents/9789241563857/en/index.html The purpose of this report is to inform about and improve the health of women worldwide, both for their benefit and that of society at large.
Consumers/clients: Religious groups
	Son, Joonmo, and Wilson, John, "Religiosity, Psychological Resources, and Physical Health", Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, September 2011 (Vol. 50, No. 3)
		http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2011.01588.x/abstract Son and Wilson suggest that better physical health among religious people is a reflection of the psychological benefits of religion, and thus is reflected in self-ratings of health and in physical symptoms, but not in chronic illness or the need for help with activities of dialing living.
Consumers/clients: Geographic groups
	Clarke, Philippa, and Smith, Jacqui, "Aging in a Cultural Context: Cross-national Differences in Disability and the Moderating Role of Personal Control Among Older Adults in the United States and England", Journals of Gerontology Series B: Social Sciences, July 2011 (Vol. 66B, No. 4)
		http://psychsocgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/66B/4/457.abstract Clarke and Smith find that older Americans have a higher sense of personal control than the British, which operates as a psychological resource to reduce disability among older Americans. However, the benefits of control are reduced as physical impairments become more severe.
Consumers/clients: Other / general / not specified
	Avoid Germns in a Hotel Room (Suite101.com)
		http://heidi-lowry.suite101.com/avoiding-germs-in-a-hotel-room-a153081, Free Hekpful hints for staying healthy while traveling.
	Avoiding Germs on Public Transportation (HubPages.com)
		http://livelonger.hubpages.com/hub/Avoiding_Germs_on_Public_Transportation, Free Tips for avoiding germs on trains and subways.
	Avoiding the Airplane Cold (IndependentTraveler.com)
		http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=647&category=1, Free Tips and links about avoiding germs in flight.
	Book of Doctors
		http://www.bookofdoctors.com/, Free This site doesn’t let you look up individual doctors easily, but does allow you to search by specialty, state, and rating level, which helps you find a good doctor.
	Brown, Jack, Don't Touch That Doorknob!: How Germs Can Zap You and How You Can Zap Back
		Grand Central Publishing, 2001, $21.99 http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Touch-That-Doorknob-Germs/dp/0446676349/ref=pd_sim_b_3 Brown's book is particularly useful if you want to know more of the theory behind germs and fighting them, but without getting overly technical.
	Carrell, Scott E., et al, Is Poor Fitness Contagious? Evidence from Randomly Assigned Friends
		National Bureau of Economic Research, November 2010, $5.00 http://www.nber.org/papers/w16518 In the authors' experiment, the evidence suggests that poor fitness within peer groups is spread primarily by friends who are the least fit, thus supporting the provocative notion that poor physical fitness spreads on a person-to-person basis.
	Committee to Reduce Infections Deaths
		http://www.hospitalinfection.org/, Free The best source of general information about hospital infections and how to avoid them.
	Cutler, David M., et al, Socioeconomic Status and Health: Dimensions and Mechanisms
		National Bureau of Economic Research Working Papers, September 2008, $5.00 http://papers.nber.org/papers/w14333 The authors examine the relationship to health of four socio-economic factors in particular: education, financial resources, rank, and race and ethnicity.
	Deadly Infections: How Good Is Your Hospital at Preventing Them? (Consumers Union)
		http://www.consumerreports.org/health/doctors-hospitals/hospital-infection/deadly-infections-hospitals-can-lower-the-danger/overview/deadly-infections-hospitals-can-lower-the-danger.htm, Free Includes a list of hospitals with no reported infections, along with other information on this subject.
	DoctorScorecard.com
		http://www.doctorscorecard.com/, Free Find or rate doctors. Might be more useful than other sites if you happen to be traveling in the U.K., Canada, Ireland, India, or Australia.
	Ehrenclou, Martine, Critical Conditions: The Essential Hospital Guide to Get Your Loved One Out Alive
		Lemon Grove Press, 2008, $19.95 http://www.amazon.com/Critical-Conditions-Essential-Hospital-Guide/dp/0981524001/ref=pd_cp_b_1 A step-by-step guide based on over 150 interviews with registered nurses, physicians and hospital staff.
	Eight Ways to Avoid Germs (NewsMax.com)
		http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/1/23/123237.shtml?s=br, Free You'll be shocked at how close germs are, this article says, and it gives you suggestions for dealing with them.
	Epstein, Lawrence, Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night's Sleep, The
		McGraw-Hill, 2006, $16.95 http://www.amazon.com/Harvard-Medical-School-Nights-Guides/dp/0071467432/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281449208&sr=1-1 Epstein deals with the importance of sleep and advises on sleep problems, from insomnia to snoring.
	Findings From the 2008 EBRI Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey
		Employee Benefits Research Institute, Free http://www.ebri.org/pdf/briefspdf/EBRI_IB_11-20081.pdf Results and trend analysis from the 4th annual EBRI survey.
	Fryar, Cheryl D., et al, Prevalence of Underweight Among Adults Aged 20 Years and Over: United States, 2007-2008
		U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, October 2010, Free http://www.cdc.gov/NCHS/data/hestat/underweight_adult_07_08/underweight_adult_07_08.pdf The authors find, among other results, that less than 2% of American adults are underweight, a figure that continues to fall, though the numbers are about twice as high for women as for men.
	Gibson, Rosemary, and Singh, Janardan Prasaq, Wall of Silence: The Untold Story of the Medical Mistakes That Kill and Injure Millions of Americans
		Lifeline Press, 2003, $24.95 http://www.amazon.com/Wall-Silence-Mistakes-Millions-Americans/dp/089526112X/ref=sr_1_16?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281547524&sr=1-16 A grim look at the all-too-human side of medical care, worth reading as a prompt to advocacy for yourself or loved ones needing care.
	Griffith, Diane, "Have a Healthy Trip: Avoiding Germs en Route"
		http://www.myoptumhealth.com/portal/Information/item/Healthy+International+Travel?nicmp=Affiliates&nisrc=Worldnow&nigrp=Worldnow, Free A short list of helpful tips for staying healthy while traveling.
	Health Data Interactive (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
		http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm, Free Presents tables with national health statistics for infants, children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Tables can be customized by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and geographic location to explore different trends and patterns.
	Healthcare Reviews
		http://www.healthcarereviews.com/, Free Includes institutional as well as individual providers.
	HealthGrades
		http://www.healthgrades.com/, Free Possibly the best all-around free source of consumer ratings of doctors (and dentists), along with hospitals and nursing homes.
	Holmes, Julia, et al, Aging Differently: Physical Limitations Among Adults Aged 50 years and Over: United States, 2001–2007
		National Center for Health Statistics, July 2009, Free http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db20.pdf The authors They find that health problems are more likely in women rather than men, the less educated rather than the more educated, and in non-Hispanic black men more than in white men.
	Home Medical Supplies (Consumer Reports)
		http://www.consumerreports.org/health/healthy-living/home-medical-supplies/index.htm, Free This web page links you to reviews of medical devices you might need to purchase for home use.
	Hospital Compare (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services)
		http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/Hospital/Search/Welcome.asp?version=default&browser=IE%7C7%7CWinXP&language=English&defaultstatus=0&pagelist=Home, Free This site lets people compare how hospitals perform for people with certain medical conditions or undergoing certain surgical procedures.
	Hospital Ratings (Consumers Union)
		http://www.consumerreports.org/health/doctors-hospitals/hospital-ratings.htm, Free to subscribers Hospital ratings based on survey responses from millions of patients, plus data on infections and readmissions.
	Iatrogenesis (Wikipedia)
		http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iatrogenesis, Free For an introduction and overview on doctor-caused illness, including a solid summary and numerous references.
	Igou, Eric R., "‘How Long Will I Suffer?’ Versus ‘How Long Will You Suffer?’ A Self-Other Effect in Affective Forecasting", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, October 2008 (Vol 95, No.4)
		http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=buy.optionToBuy&id=2008-12903-009 Igou indicates that we tend to be more optimistic about the length of our own suffering than that of others. (This may be relevant to the planning process, as a partial explanation of different attitudes among family members and between advisers and clients.)
	Insomnia (MotherNature.com)
		http://library.mothernature.com/l/the-doctors-book-of-home-remedies-for-seniors/insomnia_1237.html, Free From “The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Seniors,” some simple techniques that might help with insomnia.
	Janse, Allison, and Gerba, Charles, Germ Freak's Guide to Outwitting Colds and Flu, The: Guerilla Tactics to Keep Yourself Healthy at Home, at Work and in the World
		Health Communications, Inc., 2005, $11.95 http://www.amazon.com/Germ-Freaks-Guide-Outwitting-Colds/dp/0757303277/ref=sr_1_23?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1281453027&sr=1-23 Janse and Gerba offer an amusing but very practical guide to fighting off germs.
	Keenan, Teresa A., Impact of the Economy on Health Behaviors
		American Association for Retired Persons, November 2008, Free http://www.aarp.org/research/health/carefinancing/healthcosts_08.html Keenan reports that about one in five people say that their health has been adversely affected by the current economic downturn.
	Krakow, Barry, Sound Sleep, Sound Mind: 7 Keys to Sleeping Through the Night
		Wiley, 2007, $27.95 http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Sleep-Mind-Sleeping-Through/dp/0471650641/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281449208&sr=1-11 Krakow offers a path to a good night’s sleep without using drugs for it.
	LaPlante, Mitchell P., "Classic Measure of Disability in Activities of Daily Living Is Biased by Age but an Expanded IADL/ADL Measure Is Not, The", Journals of Gerontology Series B: Social Sciences, November 2010 (Vol. 65B, No. 6)
		http://psychsocgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/65B/6/720.abstract LaPlante argues that an expanded number of ADL measurements (14 instead of the classic 5) provides an overall result that is not subject to age bias.
	Mayo Clinic Health Manager (Mayo Clinic)
		https://healthmanager.mayoclinic.com/default.aspx?WT.mc_id=M10020770&WT.ad=Text::HealthRecord::GoogSrch::MchmHp::Goo&WT.srch=1&WT.seg_1=personal%20medical%20records, Free A great online utility, if you want to organize your health information online (free, but requires registration).
	McCaslin, Donna B., My Medical Assistant
		DonnLee Enterprises, 2004, $24.95 http://www.amazon.com/My-Medical-Assistant-Donna-McCaslin/dp/0974970905/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_2 An organizer for personal medical records.
	MD Nationwide
		http://www.mdnationwide.org/doctorscredentials.php, $14.95 Get a complete report on any doctor, including information about legal actions, disciplinary board actions, licensing status, medical schools s/he attended, professional publications, etc., including ratings they say are based on objective information, not anonymous patient input.
	National Healthcare Disparities Report
		U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 2009, Free http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08.htm This report summarizes health care quality and access among various racial, ethnic, and income groups and other priority populations, such as children and older adults.
	National Healthcare Quality Report
		U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 2009, Free http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08.htm This report tracks the health care system through quality measures, such as the percentage of heart attack patients who received recommended care when they reached the hospital or the percentage of children who received recommended vaccinations.
	"Use of the Internet for Health In-formation: United States, 2009", NCHS Data Brief, No. 66 (July 2011)
		http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db66.htm, Free Who uses the internet for do-it-yourself advice? When it comes to health, the classes of people more likely to use the internet are: women over men, non-Hispanic whites over Hispanics, higher income over lower income, and employed over unemployed.
	Oginski, Gerry, "Medical Malpractice - 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Sue Your Doctor"
		http://ezinearticles.com/?Medical-Malpractice---10-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Sue-Your-Doctor&id=306740, Free Things to think about if you feel your doctor has harmed you and you are considering legal action.
	Rate a Doctor (DrScore.com)
		http://www.drscore.com/, Free Look up any doctor -- you may or may not find ratings for him or her. Or rate your own doctor(s).
	RateMDs
		http://www.ratemds.com/, Free Find or rate a doctor.
	Second Opinion (Wikipedia)
		http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_opinion, Free A brief article on the value of getting second opinions and on how to do so - with links to some other sources.
	Shafer, Markus H., and Ferraro, Kenneth F., "Stigma of Obesity: Does Perceived Weight Discrimination Affect Identity and Physical Health?", Journal of Social Psychology, March 2011 (Vol. 74, No. 1)
		http://spq.sagepub.com/content/74/1/76.abstract The authors found that perceived weight discrimination is found to be harmful, increasing the health risks of obesity associated with functional disability and, to a lesser degree, self-rated health.
	State Health Facts (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
		http://www.statehealthfacts.org/, Free Provide free, up-to-date, and easy-to-use health data on all 50 states, covering more than 500 health topics.
	Table of Iatrogenic Deaths in the United States (OurCivilization.com)
		http://www.ourcivilisation.com/medicine/usamed/deaths.htm, Free Data on deaths induced inadvertently by a physician or surgeon or by medical treatment or diagnostic procedures.
	Thomas, Patricia, What's In This Stuff?: The Hidden Toxins in Everyday Products - and What You Can Do About Them
		Perigree Trade, 2008 http://www.amazon.com/Whats-This-Stuff-Everyday-Products/dp/B001GCVFKU/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281453364&sr=1-4 Thomas discusses food additives, cosmetics, and other products, not just household cleansers.
	VA Hospital Compare (U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
		http://www.hospitalcompare.va.gov/, Free For veterans, see how your hospital compares with others on various medical and surgical criteria.
	Van Pelt, Jennifer, "New Purview for HIV/AIDS, A", Aging Well, January/February 2009 (Vol. 2, No. 1)
		Van Pelt describes how successful therapies and improved lifestyles are contributing to greater longevity for people with HIV/AIDS.
	Vitals.com
		http://www.vitals.com/, Free Check up on your doctor, find the doctor you need, rate your doctor, or search for a doctor by medical specialty.
	Why Sue Your Doctor? (Lawfirms.com)
		http://www.lawfirms.com/resources/medical-malpractice/medical-negligence-lawsuits/why-sue-doctor-malpractice.htm, Free Provides the basic rationale for suing a doctor or hospital for malpractice.
	Wilkins, F.E., HealthMinder Personal Wellness Journal
		MemoryMinder Journals, 2009, $14.95 http://www.amazon.com/HEALTHMINDER-Personal-Wellness-MemoryMinder-Symptoms/dp/0963796879/ref=pd_sim_b_1 This health and symptoms journal helps you track your health over time, enabling you to discover patterns and also to motivate yourself to stay on your program.
	Social Theory and Health
		http://www.palgrave-journals.com/sth/index.html By providing a forum for academics and practitioners to engage with the theoretical development of the health debate, Social Theory & Health aims to develop the theoretical underpinnings of health research and service delivery.