The Official Patient's Sourcebook on Fasciolopsiasis: A Revised and Updated Directory for the Internet Age

This book has been created for patients who have decided to make education and research an integral part of the treatment process. Although it also gives information useful to doctors, caregivers and other health professionals, it tells patients where and how to look for information covering virtually all topics related to fasciolopsiasis (also Fasciolopsis ), from the essentials to the most advanced areas of research. The title of this book includes the word official. This reflects the fact that the sourcebook draws from public, academic, government, and peer-reviewed research. Selected readings from various agencies are reproduced to give you some of the latest official information available to date on fasciolopsiasis. Given patients' increasing sophistication in using the Internet, abundant references to reliable Internet-based resources are provided throughout this sourcebook. Where possible, guidance is provided on how to obtain free-of-charge, primary research results as well as more detailed information via the Internet. E-book and electronic versions of this sourcebook are fully interactive with each of the Internet sites mentioned (clicking on a hyperlink automatically opens your browser to the site indicated). Hard-copy users of this sourcebook can type cited Web addresses directly into their browsers to obtain access to the corresponding sites. In addition to extensive references accessible via the Internet, chapters include glossaries of technical or uncommon terms. Introduction 11 Overview 11 Organization 13 Scope 13 Moving Forward 14 PART I: THE ESSENTIALS 17 Chapter 1. The Essentials on Fasciolopsiasis: Guidelines 19 Overview 19 Fasciolopsiasis: Technical Notes 20 Causal Agent 21 Life Cycle 22 Geographic Distribution 23 Clinical Features 23 Laboratory Diagnosis 23 Treatment 23 More Guideline Sources 23 Vocabulary Builder 25 Chapter 2. Seeking Guidance 27 Overview 27 Associations and Fasciolopsiasis 27 Finding Doctors 29 Selecting Your Doctor 31 Working with Your Doctor 31 Broader Health-Related Resources 33 PART II: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND ADVANCED MATERIAL 35 Chapter 3. Studies on Fasciolopsiasis 37 Overview 37 E-Journals: PubMed Central 37 The National Library of Medicine: PubMed 39 Vocabulary Builder 40 Chapter 4. Physician Guidelines and Databases 43 Overview 43 NIH Guidelines 43 NIH Databases 44 Other Commercial Databases 48 Specialized References 49 Vocabulary Builder 50 PART III. APPENDICES 51 Appendix A. Researching Your Medications 53 Overview 53 Your Medications: The Basics 54 Learning More about Your Medications 56 Commercial Databases 57 Contraindications and Interactions (Hidden Dangers) 58 A Final Warning 59 General References 59 Appendix B. Finding Medical Libraries 61 Overview 61 Preparation 61 Finding a Local Medical Library 62 Medical Libraries Open to the Public 62 Appendix C. Your Rights and Insurance 69 Overview 69 Your Rights as a Patient 69 Patient Responsibilities 73 Choosing an Insurance Plan 74 Medicare and Medicaid 77 NORD's Medication Assistance Programs 80 Additional Resources 80 Vocabulary Builder 81 ONLINE GLOSSARIES 83 Online Dictionary Directories 84 FASCIOLOPSIASIS GLOSSARY 85 General Dictionaries and Glossaries 88 INDEX 90