Researching a disorder
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When a disorder is first diagnosed, the doctor often gives a handout that summarizes key points of information. (See also Introduction to Making the Most of Health Care.) People may also have some general knowledge of the disorder from newspaper or magazine articles or television or radio shows.
If people want to learn more about their disorder, many other sources of information are available. People can ask doctors, nurses, or other practitioners to tell them about the disorder or to recommend reliable sources of information. Many books provide helpful, general information about disorders. Some local, university, or hospital libraries have useful resources, including a research librarian. The Internet provides a lot of information. However, judging the credibility of these sources is not always easy (see STANDSResearching a disorder meaning & definition 1 of Researching a disorder.