Health facts are just a click away

Visits to health and medical Web sites have surged in the past year, but consumers are still missing out on some of the best health information on the Internet.

Nearly one-third of all visits to the Internet are for medical help and news on health issues, according to a survey by Hitwise, which monitors Internet use. Hitwise found that 27 percent of Internet users clicked to a health site in May, compared with 19 percent a year ago.

The survey found that WebMd.com is by far the most popular site, along with several other general health information sites. Two of my favorites, www.MayoClinic.com and www.MedHelp.org, ranked high. But while the survey shows consumers are doing a pretty good job of finding credible health information on the Web, there is a lot more to be found. Here's a look at a few of the best sites.

• www.Medlineplus.gov — This site ranks 51st in the survey, which is too bad, because it should be the first stop in any Internet health search. You won't find a site with more useful information, or one with more credibility — it is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., and its National Library of Medicine, the world's largest medical library.

The best thing about MedlinePlus is where it takes you. The site contains countless links to sites like clinicaltrials.gov, which lists nearly 11,000 privately and government-funded clinical trials, and PubMed, which health professionals use to search medical journals. Like all health Web sites, it requires some clicking around. The best way to start is to type a topic in the

search box, and it will kick up a variety of credible links. The site includes interactive tutorials on 165 topics: Narrated slide shows explain everything from barium enemas to hip-replacement surgery.

• www.YourDiseaseRisk.harvard.edu — For the past few years this site has focused only on cancer risk, but was recently updated to help assess risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis. The user clicks on a type of illness and answers a series of questions about age, exercise, eating habits and family history. The result is a color-coded graphic showing your risk and how you compare with others. The site gives you kudos for the things you're doing right and, with one click, shows you how a single change — like eating more fruits and vegetables — will shrink your risk.

The risk assessments were designed and reviewed by experts at Harvard's medical school and teaching hospitals and its School of Public Health. The site is eye-opening, using personal health information and colorful graphics to illustrate how simple lifestyle changes can lower your risk for some scary health problems.