The complete Canadian health guide, revised edition

OVERALL RATING Very good

STRENGTHS Evidence-based, comprehensive home reference book

WEAKNESSES References to original articles or suggestions for further reading are not provided

AUDIENCE Well-educated health care consumers

First published in 1993, the Complete Canadian Health Guide, Revised Edition is designed to be a “home medical reference” and aims to “translate medical knowledge into clear comprehensible terms.”

The book is divided into several sections (eg, lifestyle, nutrition, sexuality, adolescent health, and mental health issues) and provides thoughtful, balanced, evidence-based overviews of these topics. The illustrations are clear and well labeled and the key points are highlighted in orange-coloured boxes throughout the book. The index includes entries under both the common and medical terms, suggests additional search terms, and directs readers to key pages for each topic.

My concern with this book is that there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between the stated purpose of the book—to “translate medical knowledge into clear comprehensible terms”—and the final product. Although attempts are usually made to explain medical terminology, the average reader will find much of the material fairly difficult. The book is much better suited to the well-educated health care consumer. However, from my experience, I know these folks like to delve into the literature and read the original studies or recommended texts on the topic. Here, the book disappoints.

While great efforts have been made to present information based on clinical evidence, there are no references provided for readers to locate these original studies or papers, nor are there any suggestions for further reading at the end of each major section.

Given that the publication date is 2005, the book is best used in conjunction with one of the excellent websites recommended at the back of the book, such as NIH MedlinePlus or the Canadian Health Network site. I recommend this book as a basic home medical reference for those who are already comfortable with medical terminology and who will access additional resources if required.

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