Health + Wellness
The Library has an exceptional collection for up-to-date health information. We have also compiled a list of community resources and authoritative health materials to ensure you are receiving current and accurate health information.
Note: Please remember that while libraries and librarians provide access to medical information, librarians are not medical professionals and cannot provide medical advice. If facing a medical emergency dial 9-1-1 right away. For mental health emergencies, dial 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or get confidential mental health support 24/7 at 310-6789 (no need to dial area code).
For medical advice seek a physician or dial 8-1-1 for HealthLink, a free-of-charge provincial health information and advice phone line available in British Columbia.
- Last updated: January 6, 2021
LIBRARY DATABASES
Access these resources using your WVML card.
Find articles from scholarly journals in nearly every academic discipline. Excellent for students and researchers.
ON THE SHELF
Check these out the next time you’re in the Library.
Help for those living with alzheimer's disease.
Resources about heart health and heart disease prevention.
on the web
These recommended websites are free and easily accessible! All you need is an internet connection.
A national helpline available to Black youth to support their health, mental wellbeing, education, and communities. They are available toll-free at 1-833-294-8650.
Nation-wide organization that champions good mental health. CMHA branches across Canada provide a wide range of innovative services and supports to people who are experiencing mental illness and their families. The North Shore Branch is located at #300 - 1835 Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver.
A directory of Counselling Psychologists, Counsellors and Therapists in BC, indexed by area of practice, type of therapy, location and more.
Information about the Crisis Line Association BC as well crisis numbers to call for barrier-free, non-judgmental, confidential support through 24/7 phone lines and online services:
1800SUICIDE: 1-800-784-2433 if you are considering suicide or are concerned about someone who may be.
310Mental Health Support: 310-6789 for emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health.
Local Crisis Line number(s) and area served can be found at Map/Crisis Lines
Emergency room wait times for the North Shore, Vancouver, and Richmond, updated every 5 minutes.
A great first stop for non-emergency health information and services for British Columbians. Covers health topics, medical tests and medications, public health alerts, and more. Includes translated resources in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Korean, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese.
You can also call 8-1-1 toll-free to speak with a nurse, dietitian or pharmacist about your health concerns, and to receive assistance in finding a family practice. They can also provide translation service in 130 languages, just state desired language at the start of a call and interpreter will join in.
Dial 7-1-1 for BC's healthline for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Here2Talk connects all students currently registered in a B.C. post-secondary institution to free, confidential counselling and community referral services, conveniently available 24/7 via app, phone and web.
HeretoHelp provides information about managing mental illness and maintaining good mental health, including self-management resources and screening self-tests.
Operating out of the HOpe Centre at Lions Gate Hospital, the Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre provides free mental health and substance abuse information, resources, help with mental health system navigation and peer support to children, youth and their families from across BC. Services include Peer Navigation, a mental health resource library, and support groups and programs.
Kids Help Phone is a 24/7, national support service that offers professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French. Connect via phone, text, mobile app or through their website.
This First Nations and Indigenous specific crisis line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, toll-free from anywhere in British Columbia.
KUU-US Crisis Line can be reached toll-free at 1-800-588-8717. Alternatively, individuals can call direct into the Youth Line at 250-723-2040 or the Adult Line at 250-723-4050.
Look up a disease or condition, a symptom, a prescription drug, a test or procedure, or sign up for the Clinic's Health Letter.
Browse health topics for specific diseases or conditions, get information on drugs and supplements, and find articles and illustrations on many diseases, tests, injuries, and surgeries in the Medical Encyclopedia.
PubMed is a free search engine accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics
A very useful list of reliable medical websites covering topics like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more. Based on criteria like credibility, sponsorship/authorship, content, audience, and currency.
This US National Institute of Health site includes research on clinical trials, practices, and information about treatments such as acupuncture, herbal supplements, homeopathy and more.
A new project that allows Indigenous patients across BC to anonymously report their positive and negative healthcare experiences, with the first pilot being focused on the experiences of racism in healthcare. The B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC), whose website hosts the app, aims to use the information to figure out patterns of racist incidents in the health-care sector, and present solutions on how to address these issues with policymakers.
Vancouver Coastal Health provides health care services through a network of hospitals, primary care clinics, community health centres and residential care homes throughought Vancouver, Richmond, North and West Vancouver and along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, Sunshine Coast and BC's Central Coast.
VCH Aboriginal Health: Lots of great local information, resources, and services for Indigenous peoples, including links to the Aboriginal Patient Navigator Program, the Aboriginal Wellness Program, and the First Nations Health Authority.