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Finding Publicly Available & Free Resources
Many of the resources collected on this guide require an affiliation with URI or use of a public computer within the URI Libraries. For material you can access without these restrictions, check out the recommendations on this page!
To browse for open access, freely available scholarly material on your topic, check out the Directory of Open Access Journals linked below!
Open Access Research Options
These are open access options for medical databases and health related literature.
- Directory of Open Access JournalsAn index of quality, peer-reviewed, open access scholarly research journals covering a range of disciplines.
- MedlinePlusNational Library of Medicine Consumer Health Web Site. Includes dictionaries, links to health topics, links to hospitals and specialists, and much more.
- Sigma RepositoryThe Sigma Repository is "an open digital academic and clinical focused service that freely collects, preserves, and disseminates full-text nursing research, educational, and evidence-based practice materials in a variety of formats and item types. The repository is a resource of Sigma Theta Tau International (Sigma)."
- Cost-Effective Analysis Registry (CEA)Provides access to a comprehensive database of cost-effectiveness ratios in the published medical literature.
- Merck Manuals"The Merck Manuals are a comprehensive medical information source covering thousands of topics in all fields of medicine. They are offered as a free public service to health care professionals and the general public."
Online Health Resources
These are online sources with health related information.
- National Institutes of HealthContains an overview of NIH activities including health information resources and funding opportunities.
- ClinicalTrials.govProvides patients and members of the public easy access to information about the location of clinical trials, their design and purpose, criteria for participation and additional disease and treatment information.
- My HealthfinderGateway to selected consumer health and human services information resources provided by U.S. government agencies and other organizations service the public interest.
- MayoClinic.comFeatures reliable information on health, nutrition, and wellness from the Mayo Clinic staff.
- National Cancer Institute - Cancer TopicsFact sheets and reports on cancer topics produced by the U.S. National Institutes of Heath National Cancer Institute.
- Breast Cancer Searchable Information CenterA publicly available collection of breast cancer publications. The selection features a range of authoritative fact sheets, posters, and other materials from a number of government agencies including the National Cancer Institute, National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, United States Food and Drug Administration, Office of Women's Health, and other authoritative sources.