Sources and References

In addition to our own original materials, the information on this web site comes from numerous sources. Certain content used in this site has been written by third-party medically qualified organizations and is used with permission. The source of this medical information has been indicated with its use.

Are you an author, writer or publisher with the rights to interesting medical information? We may be interested in licensing your content. Please refer to our submissions and licensing area.

Original Material

This website maintains a huge knowledge base of medical information including compilations of medical facts, and medical articles. Such medical information is created and updated by our Editorial Team. Our Editorial Team consists of physicians (with clinical experience), professional researchers, medical writers, and freelance writers.

Other Professional Sources

Diseases Database: Medical Object Oriented Software (UK) Ltd

Sources of Government Materials

The use of government produced medical material is usually indicated as a bracketed abbreviation or a detailed footnote at the end of the content. The following is a list of some of the commonly used abbreviations for source materials:

CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA
- CDC-OC: CDC Office of Communication
- NCHS: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC)
- DSTD: Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (CDC)
- DBMD: Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases (CDC)
- DVRD: Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases (CDC)
- NIP: National Immunization Program
- DPD: Division of Parasitic Diseases (CDC)
- DVBID: Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases (CDC)
- NCID: National Center for Infectious Diseases (CDC)
- NCHSTP: National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP)
- NCCDPHP: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
- NCEH: National Center for Environmental Health
- NIOSHL: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
- NCIPC: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)
- EPO: Epidemiology Program Office (EPO)
- CDC-OD: Office of the Director (CDC/OD)
- PHPPO: Public Health Practice Program Office (PHPPO)
- NCBDDD: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
NIH: National Institute of Health, in the USA, and has numerous divisions and related institutes:
- NIDDK: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH
- NHLBI: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- NIAID: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- NIAMS: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
- NIA: National Institute on Aging
- NIMH: National Institute of Mental Health
- NEI: National Eye Institude (NIH)
- DBID: Division of Microbial and Infectious Diseases (part of NIAID)
- NCCAM: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- NIAAA: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- NIDCD: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- NICHD: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- NIDCR: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
- NCI: National Cancer Institute (NIH)
- NHGRI: National Human Genome Research Institute
- NIBIB: National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
- NIDA: National Institute on Drug Abuse
- NIEHS: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- NIGMS: National Institute of General Medical Sciences
- NINDS: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- NINR: National Institute of Nursing Research
- NLM: National Library of Medicine (NLM)
- NCMHD: National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD)
- NCRR: National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
- OD or NIH-OD: Office of the Director (OD)
- OAR: Office of AIDS Research, NIH-OD
FDA: Food and Drug Administration (USA)
DHHS (or HHS): United States Department of Health and Human Services
- ATSDR: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
- AHRQ: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- AoA: Administration on Aging (AoA)
- ACF: Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
- CMS: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- HRSA: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- IHS: Indian Health Service (IHS)
- SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- PSC: Program Support Center (PSC)
- OWH: Office on Women's Health
- NWHIC (or 4Woman.gov): The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC)
USSG: United States Surgeon General

The following abbreviations are used to cite commonly used reports and information sources:

MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (CDC)
NVSR: National Vital Statistics Report
NHIS: National Health Interview Survery
NHIS95: National Health Interview Survery, 1995.
WOH: Word on Health, NIH publication.
DHS-VIC: Victorian state study (Australia)
SEER: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER), part of the National Cancer Institute

Limitations

For more information about the limitations of the medical information that we provide, please see this site's disclaimers and terms of use. For information about integration of advertising content into this web site, please see our advertising policy.