Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

HOW TO USE
THE FACTS ON FILE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HEALTH AND MEDICINE
Welcome to The Facts On File Encyclopedia of Health
and Medicine, a four-volume reference set. This
comprehensive resource is an indispensable reference
for students, allied health professionals,
physicians, caregivers, lay researchers, and people
seeking information about health circumstances
and conditions for themselves or others. Entries
present the latest health concepts and medical
knowledge in a clear, concise format. Readers may
easily accumulate information and build a complete
medical profile on just about any health or
medical topic of interest or concern.
A New Paradigm for the
Health and Medical Encyclopedia
As the art and science of health and medicine continues
to evolve, with complex and elegant discoveries
and new techniques, medications, and
treatments emerging all the time, the need has
arisen for a new paradigm for the encyclopedia of
health and medicine—a rethinking of the old, and
increasingly outmoded, presentations. Carefully
researched and compiled, The Facts On File Encyclopedia
of Health and Medicine offers many distinguishing
features that present readers and researchers with
an organization as up-to-date and compelling as the
breakthrough information its entries contain.
Recognizing the current emphasis on presenting
a truly integrative approach to both health
and disease, The Facts On File Encyclopedia of Health
and Medicine organizes content across volumes
within a distinctive format that groups related
entries by body system (for example, “The Cardiovascular
System”) or by general health topic (for
example, “Genetics and Molecular Medicine”):
• Volume 1 presents the sensory and structural
body systems that allow the body to engage
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with its surroundings and the external environment.
• Volume 2 presents the cell- and fluid-based
body systems that transport nutrients, remove
molecular wastes, and provide protection from
infection.
• Volume 3 presents the biochemical body systems
that support cellular functions.
• Volume 4 presents topics that apply across
body systems (such as “Fitness: Exercise and
Health”) or that address broad areas within
health care (such as “Preventive Medicine”).
• The appendixes provide supportive or additional
reference information (such as “Appendix X:
Immunization and Routine Examination
Schedules”).
Following Research Pathways
The Facts On File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine’s
organization and structure support the
reader’s and researcher’s ease of use. Many encyclopedia
users will find all the information they
desire within one volume. Others may use several
or all four of the encyclopedia’s volumes to arrive
at a comprehensive, multifaceted, in-depth understanding
of related health and medical concepts
and information. Researchers efficiently look up
information in The Facts On File Encyclopedia of
Health and Medicine in several ways.
Each section’s entries appear in alphabetical
order (except the entries in Volume 4’s “Emergency
and First Aid” section, which are grouped
by type of emergency). The researcher finds a
desired entry by looking in the relevant volume
and section. For example, the entry for acne is in
Volume 1 in the section “The Integumentary System”
and the entry for stomach is in Volume 3 in