Rainy days in Columbia make us remember that fall has come to the Midlands.  And, with fall, comes the flu season.  With the appearance of Swine Flu (H1N1 to some), the media has inundated us with information, warnings, advisories, and accounts of outbreaks.  However, some of us (thankfully!) haven’t experienced a really “bad” case of flu in quite some time.  (This is probably due more to luck than to good hygiene or genes, and to the advancement of science and medicine such that most flus are no longer life-threatening to healthy individuals.)  But, this year’s strains look to be more aggressive and more debilitating, so maybe yet another review of where to find information quickly is worth reading.  This article will not be comprehensive, but includes mention of some sites up just last week.  The websites mentioned here are intended for SC state employees or for others in positions of giving others information (librarians, teachers and mothers come to mind).

Locally, SCDHEC has excellent material and links.  Did you know about the Medical University of South Carolina questionnaire to help assess your symtoms?  This page is new and I found it easier to use and less alarmist than the Microsoft questionnaire licensed by Emory University.

EBSCO, a major provider of databases of journal articles and other licensed material, has posted an Influenza Evidence-Based Information Portal that will provide information from DynaMed™, Nursing Reference Center™, and Patient Education reference Center ™.  This means free information for clinicians, nurses, and patients worldwide! 

MedlinePlus has a new interactive tutorial on Influenza available.  The tutorial can be viewed with sound, can be played as a self-running presentation, or can open to a pdf file.  It is very easy to read and understand and may help relieve fears or give instructions to senior citizens and children.  Of course, MedlinePlus has tons of other excellent resources on the topic.

However, mention must be made of the standard sources of information, CDC, and WHO.  CDC Human Swine Influenza Information Page has brochures available for printing.  WHO has three pages to note:  Human Swine Flu website, Disease Outbreak News , and Swine Flu Questions and Answers, which is a nice pdf that can be printed as a handout.

But remember, referral to a health care professional is the best medicine.