Awards and Reviews
Voted a 2007 Top 10 Digital Resource by School Library Journal and a "Must Have" Product for Fall 2008
Selected as one of Library Journal’s Best Reference Sources of 2007
Best New Product, 2007 Readers’ Choice Awards, The Charleston Advisor
"A terrific product from Rosen Publishing that meets an important need of a critical group."
Teen Health & Wellness has been honored with an EDDIE (Annual Education Software Review) Award from ComputED Learning Center. The Award honors programs that augment the classroom curriculum and improve teacher productivity. Selection criteria include academic content, potential for broad classroom use, technical merit, subject approach, and management system.
The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) honors high quality learning resources that exhibit superior educational content and value with its Distinguished Achievement Award, a mark of outstanding quality and achievement. Teen Health & Wellness was selected as winner in the Educational Websites for Specialized Instruction category.
Rosen Publishing is proud to announce that Teen Health and Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers has been selected as a winner of the 13th Annual Best Educational Software (BESSIE) Award. The Award targets innovative and content-rich programs and Web sites which provide parents and teachers with the technology to foster educational excellence.
Teen Health & Wellness has been honored with a Bronze Award, Patient Education Information Web Site for Adolescents/Young Adults from the World Wide Web Health Awards. This program recognizes the best Web-based health-related content for consumers and professionals. A panel of international health information and Internet experts judge entries based on content, creativity, accuracy, success in reaching the targeted audience, and overall quality. The National Health Information Awards program is organized by the Health Information Resource Center (HIRC), a national clearinghouse for consumer health programs and materials.
Read reviews and accolades from:
School Library Journal (2007 Top 10 Digital Resource)
May 1, 2008
Teen Health and Wellness was specifically designed to meet the needs of teenagers in the areas of health, fitness, alcohol, drugs, mental health, family life, and more. When I shared the database with teens, it was immediately obvious that they loved it, but the bonus factor was how much classroom teachers and even health-care providers (nurses and counselors) also liked the content. Because no topic is off-limits and information is provided from a medical viewpoint, students can discretely locate information that they know is accurate and reliable. This groundbreaking database provides so many different avenues for students to learn about health that it should be in every high school library. If your school doesn’t have a subscription to Teen Health and Wellness, find a way to get one!
School Library Journal (Review)
March 15, 2007
Teen Health and Wellness Breaks New Ground: The right content in the right format
As teenagers struggle with issues of health, body image, and sexual identity, few librarians can offer students all the resources they need on every topic—when they need them. Even if a library has purchased these “hot topic” titles, they are often missing from the shelves when you need them. However, there is now one database that introduces a wealth of information specifically designed for teenagers that will find a permanent spot in many school and public library collections.
Cost: Annual subscriptions for schools begin at $595 per building. Pricing is based on enrollment. District or multiple building pricing is available. Annual subscriptions for public libraries begin at $595 per building. Pricing is based on cardholder numbers. System-wide pricing is available. All pricing is for unlimited, simultaneous access and includes remote access and ongoing content enhancements and updates.
The Big Picture: As the inaugural database for Rosen Publishing Online, Teen Health and Wellness is the first database specifically designed for teenagers on issues relating to health, fitness, alcohol, drugs, mental health, family life, and much more. Drawing on Rosen’s award-winning series such as “Coping,” “Need to Know,” “Drug Prevention Library,” and others, Teen Health and Wellness provides young adults with authoritative content that is reviewed by experts in the areas of medicine, mental health, nutrition, guidance, and counseling.
The first in the field to provide a near-comprehensive online health resource specifically for teens, this database encapsulates the best information on a wide variety of topics. High-interest features, as well as up-to-date resources, will allow students to locate reliable information in a discreet manner while being offered additional resources for contacting health care professionals within their communities for additional information or support.
Teen Health and Wellness is ADA compliant and is aligned to national curriculum standards. With regularly updated home page features that relate to medical and social issues, database articles, resource sections with Web sites, organizations, and recommended reading, this database provides students with the resources to both investigate personal medical information and answer in-depth research questions for classroom assignments.
Look & Feel: The clean, fresh look of Rosen’s Teen Health and Wellness will immediately draw interest from teens. A banner at the top of the page announces “real life, real answers” which should attract user interest in the content. Students may immediately begin searching by selecting the “Browse by Subject” or the “Browse by A-Z” buttons or they can type their search topic in the Search box on the top of the page.
The home page is divided into several sections which focus on specific areas. “In the News” presents timely topics while in “Dr. Jan’s Corner” Jan Hittelman, a licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience, answers readers’ e-mail questions. “Personal Story” provides compelling, teen-authored stories. “Cast Your Vote,” a quick survey on topics such as dating, comes with a “Reality Check” section within the results that discusses issues relating to relationships and how to find solutions or help with tough situations. A “Did You Know?” section reveals a topic of interest such as bullying, and how students can find help with problems that they might feel they face alone.
On the left-hand side of the homepage, users will find a lengthy list of topics, including body basics; diseases; friendship and dating; grief and loss; nutrition; sexual health; and skills for school, work, and life. By selecting one of these topics, the user is immediately provided with a new search page, which allows them to narrow their subject choices to more specific content information.
How It Works: Students accessing the database will find four different search options: Browse by Subject, Browse by A-Z, a Search box for typing a search term, and a list of Search Topics. Upon beginning a query, each option presents users with a new search page with topics to help narrow the search. When a specific topic is selected, the user is directed to the articles available on that topic.
One obvious selection that will be made by many teenagers is “Sexuality and Sex Health.” Once selected, the user is taken to a page which includes topics such as: Abstinence, For Girls—Your Body, For Boys—Your Body, Pregnancy Prevention, STDs and Sexual Health, Sexual Identity, Sexual Violence, Teen Parenting, and Teen Pregnancy. Beneath each of these general topics are links to more specific information.
For example, under the topic Pregnancy Prevention, the subtopic Safe Sex has an article that describes “What is Safe Sex?” On the right-hand side of the article is an icon that reads “Reality Check” (with a sign similar to a yield sign); this is a “heart-to-heart” discussion of the subject for teens who might not otherwise realize the important issues relating to the topic. The second paragraph features another icon that also reads “Reality Check” (this time it’s a light bulb); here readers are presented with factual information about the responsibility of sexual relationships, the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases, the rights of each individual within the relationship, and more.
Each article includes the author, the source from which the content has been taken, and the complete article citation in MLA format. Students may print or e-mail articles and a complete bibliography can be generated by selecting the “Cite This Article” button.
To the left of the article is a list of “Article Sections,” which correspond to the subject, as well as hyperlinked “Resources,” “Further Readings,” and a “Glossary.” Below the “Article Sections” is a box with “Related Articles.” Finally, on the bottom of the article page is a white box which features a telephone “Hot Line” resource link; this directs students to a list of possible resources for additional information or instructs them on how to reach professionals for more in-depth assistance or help.
For Students & Teachers: Rosen’s Teen Health and Wellness is a breakthrough in database content; it is a long-awaited resource for up-to-date topics in health and fitness that are often missing in many libraries. Through the inclusion of general health topics, as well as sensitive and straightforward discussions of topics that may not be included in many school library collections, this database addresses the needs of many teenagers while providing sensible solutions, options, and resources.
Some may find that, on a few topics, the information is uncomfortably frank. However, this database gives students the opportunity to research health information through medically reviewed content and gain assistance from responsible adults. Through the use of the database contents, teachers and librarians can collaborate to assist students in both educational research and personal health issues, while providing reliable information that can also be shared with parents, counselors, or personal health care professionals.
Report Card: A ground-breaking database that is the first to completely focus on the medical health and emotional needs of teenagers, Rosen’s Teen Health and Wellness database receives an A+. Even while the content continues to grow (by the end of this month it will include an Educator Resources section and national level curriculum correlations for middle and high schools in all 50 states), this database is the front-runner in health information for teenagers and a definite must-have for all high school and public libraries.
Cheryl LaGuardia, Library Journal E-views
July 15, 2007
What is it? Teen Health and Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers inaugurates Rosen Publishing Online, the newest division of the family-owned, educational company that offers curriculum-based guidance and self-help books for children and YAs. The content comes from more than 500 books in various Rosen series (including Coping, Epidemics, and Family Matters), which are written by professionals with backgrounds in career counseling, guidance, medicine, psychology, and science. All of the content is revised and updated for online use by an impressive professional review board. The file also contains a Glossary, Hotlines, “Dr. Jan’s Corner” (answers to reader letters from licensed psychologist Jan S. Hittelman, Ph.D.), personal stories by individual teens, and more.
How does it work? Eye-catchingly yet practically designed for easy navigation, the home page features attractive banner photos of real teens (including diverse ethnicities, differently abled individuals, and a host of contexts); a Search box at upper screen right; Hotlines; a Glossary; Site Help at screen top right; two Browse choices (by subject and A-to-Z); a list of Subject area links (e.g., Body Basics; Diversity, Drugs, and Alcohol; and Skills for School, Work, and Life); and, in screen center, sections on “In the News,” “Dr. Jan’s Corner,” “Cast Your Vote,” “Personal Story,” and “Did You Know?”
Across screen bottom is also a link to Librarian/Educator Resources, Reviews and Testimonials, and information about Rosen Publishing.
Can you use it? I checked out the screen center sections first. The “In the News” item at the time of review, “More TV, Less Diabetes Control?” was an excellent article on diabetes, its causes and symptoms, those likely to get it, how it’s diagnosed, “Ten Great Questions To Ask After You Have Been Diagnosed with Diabetes,” treatment, myths and facts, a list of resources, a “For Further Reading” section, and a list of terms from the Glossary that will be of use in understanding diabetes.
At screen left, throughout the article, are links to the different sections of the article, as well as links to related articles in the database; buttons for printing, emailing, or citing the article (the citation is also a persistent banner at the bottom of each screen); and a highlighted “HOTLINE” button to get help now. Each article indicates the author’s name, the reviewer’s name, and the date the article was updated; in this case, it was April 2007. And that’s the material available from just one click on the home page!
“Cast Your Vote” is an immediate feedback reader poll; for this review, the issue was “What time is your curfew on weekends?” When I cast my vote (“I don’t have a curfew”), I got the poll results: 86 percent of the respondents were in the same boat.
The “Personal Story” was “I’m Not Afraid of Asthma,” from a teen with the disease who has found good ways to cope with it via medication, relaxation, and changing sports. It cut right to the heart of the issues—fear, embarrassment, disappointment—before ending with “I’m not going to let it stop me.” Realistic, yet upbeat.
Next, I tried a search for AIDS and got 110 results, the first of which was a top-notch article on “AIDS/HIV.” It contained many of the same sections as the diabetes article above and was updated in May 2007. One of the best things about these articles is their matter-of-fact language; the material is neither preachy nor condescending, offering facts, options, and resources while making no judgments.
One phrase I saw throughout was “you’re not alone.” The articles are supportive, but they require readers to consider their choices and take responsibility in relationships and interactions.
What’s the cost? The annual subscription cost to schools begins at $595 per building; price is based on enrollment and includes unlimited, simultaneous access; remote access; and ongoing content enhancements and updates, with district or multiple-building pricing available on request.
The annual subscription cost to public libraries begins at $595 per building; price is based on cardholder numbers, with system-wide pricing available on request, and includes the benefits listed for schools.
How good is it? Based on my examination, the content is pretty up-to-date for a book-based file. The design also impresses: neither glitzy nor kludgey, it just does the job well. I would imagine that teens might approach any self-help file suspiciously, but this one is likely to reach them effectively. A strong 10.
Bottom line Essential for public and secondary school libraries, perhaps even academic libraries with graduate education programs. Librarians could also suggest it to parents and teens.
Library Journal
February 15, 2007
Last month, Rosen Publishing unveiled its Teen Health & Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers database at the ALA Midwinter conference in Seattle. Developed primarily for teens, "with their unique concerns and perspective in mind," the product is based on the publisher's backlist but goes well beyond providing definitions of terms and conditions to serve as a one-stop self-help resource and a fully interactive online community center for teen health and wellness, featuring polls and quizzes, first-person narratives, national 24-hour hotlines for teens in crisis, automatically generated citations, numerous print and email functions, multiple paths to information via browse, search and high-interest features, and more. The publisher takes special pride in the product's authoritative content, which was reviewed by a library advisory board as well as leading professionals in the fields of medicine, mental health, nutrition, guidance, and career counseling. The database is searchable by 14 subject categories-including Diseases, Infections, and Conditions; Friendship and Dating; Grief and Loss; Nutrition, Fitness, and Appearance; Safety; and Sexuality and Sexual Health-and its content will be updated as frequently as twice a month.
Booklist
April 2007
Teens have many concerns about emotional, mental, and physical health issues, and these areas are often subjects for homework assignments. Designed to be a resource both for self-help and school research, this database is a good starting point for basic information. The home page welcomes users with current news (for example, "Playing Sports Safely," "More Schools Go Smoke-Free"); an interactive health quiz; and a personal story from a teen (participating in a human rights for Darfur march, being a twin). It also has Dr. Jan’s Corner, with answers to questions about mental health issues from Dr. Jan Hittleman, a licensed psychologist. His past columns are available for reading online, but users cannot submit questions to him.
The database is searchable alphabetically by topic or via the search box. In addition, content is organized under 14 broad topics, such as Body Basics, Eating Disorders, and Grief and Loss. Users will find a wide variety of information about basic human anatomy and physiology (Brain and spinal cord, Circulatory system); disabilities (Apserger’s syndrome, Cerebral palsy); diseases and conditions (AIDS and HIV, Allergies); diversity (Being a biracial teen/biethnic teen, Being part of an interfaith family); mental health (Depression and mood disorders, Stress); family issues (Domestic violence, Teen parenting); and many other concerns facing teens. All of the content was drawn from books in various Rosen series, including Coping, the Drug Abuse Prevention Library, and the Need to Know Library, and was reviewed by an editorial board of physicians, nurses, psychotherapists, and other health professionals. The articles are easy to read, with their major sections listed on the left for easy linking. All have resource lists and links to glossary terms. Many have "Ten good questions to ask" your doctor, therapist, etc. The content is designed to both inform and support teens. Articles on disabilities include information about living with them. Sensitive topics are also covered; for example, the article on sexual orientation discusses such issues as the pros and cons of coming out and the challenges of having gay parents. The database also has a hotlines list, which is useful for both emergency and referral purposes.
Teen Health & Wellness is an excellent resource for school and public libraries as well as academic libraries supporting counseling programs. Students seeking in-depth information about these topics and issues will need to supplement what they find here with other resources, but this database provides a strong introduction, especially to psychosocial issues, as well as support for those who are dealing with problems.
Kirkus Reviews
September 2007
Building upon its 50-plus-year history of providing accurate, age-appropriate health and wellness books for teens, Rosen Publishing enters the digital age with its new online subscription resource Teen Health & Wellness. Furthering its reputation for delivering objective information about difficult subjects—Rosen was the first publisher to offer teens a book about venereal disease—Rosen Online provides a user-friendly resource that delivers the goods in clear, uncomplicated language. The scope of the project is enormous; sections include “Body Basics,” “Drugs and Alcohol,” “Mind, Mood and Emotions” and “Skills for School, Work and Life.” Teens can search for specific information, browse broad subjects or use an alphabetical index. The articles are written specifically for teens and are reviewed by specialists in the appropriate fields. An enormous effort was made in the development to solicit teen input, says Rosen Online editorial director Erin Lockledge. “They’re such a great user group to work with,” she says, “because if they don’t like something they’ll just tell you, and that allowed us to build a resource that met their needs and their approval. ... [They] especially like the ‘Personal Story Project,’ where we ask teens across the country to submit their own stories about issues related to health and wellness. Some stories are very lighthearted, and others are very, very moving. These stories are both a way for them to have a voice on the site and to show other teen users that they aren’t alone.” Laura Cleveland, a high-school specialist at the public library in Fayetteville, Ark., says, “I am personally convinced that this 24/7 resource, with its big red ‘Get Help’ button, is going to save teen lives.” Add such features as graphic aids to target specific information within an article, diagrams, photographs and ready-for-bibliography MLA citations, and this is a powerful resource tailored to an audience badly in need of accurate, reliable information.
Library Media Connection
September 2007
* Starred review *
This information-rich, attractive, and easily used database has solid information on diseases, illnesses, disabilities, drugs, and alcohol. There is also information on mental health, friendship, dating, family life, grief, sexuality, and life skills. Information can be accessed by the search box on each page, an A-Z index, which opens to articles with numerous sub-headings, or by clicking one of the subjects listed on the homepage. Helpful features include icons that highlight key information and drawings of major organs. Hotlines can be located from the homepage, which also includes a news feature and a psychologist fielding a question-and-answer column. The clearly written articles are reviewed and signed by physicians. Students using the information for reports will appreciate the citations. The program will be helpful for students curious or concerned about any aspect of health. Adults will find the material helps them talk to teens about these topics. It would be perfect for work done in health classes, family living classes, and for reports in social studies and language arts. Highly Recommended.
The Charleston Advisor
April 2007
4 and 3/4 stars out of a possible five stars
Those of us who serve teens in public and school settings are familiar with the challenges of providing health information to this group. We are able to serve the handful of students who have the nerve to approach the librarian for information on issues that are deeply private to them. For the much larger majority of youth who do not trust the librarian enough to expose their personal problems, they may possibly perform a Google search, talk to a trusted peer, or in many cases suffer in silence. Information from the Web may be excellent, or may offer destructive advice such as methods for committing suicide, or starving yourself to achieve weight loss, and may expose them to untrustworthy adults who prey on the young. Within schools, most districts now have third party filters that may restrict access to any Web pages, good and bad, on sensitive topics. Many of us are also acutely aware that students in general have no idea of how to evaluate the information they find on the Web, and so we spend our limited resources on good databases that provide vetted information.
The Teen Health and Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers database is an important and unique new resource for school and public libraries to offer their adolescent users. Teen-friendly articles make complex topics understandable and thoroughly easy to use for both personal and curricular needs. They also give insight into the teen experience—crucial for parents, teachers, librarians, therapists, and others who are part of teens’ lives and who support teens. In support of academic curriculum, this database gives students the content of over 500 Rosen titles from 23 of Rosen’s series. Each article of this database is presented to help students quickly identify key points of the content and includes an MLA citation to make it easy to create bibliographies. The topics covered in this database are highly requested in secondary school and public libraries, and this resource makes it easy to serve multiple students looking for the same topic. Additionally, print resources on many of the topics on health and diseases need to be frequently updated, and, for libraries with limited budgets, this database allows librarians to have the most current information without purchasing new print editions. Indeed, some of the books included in this resource are high-theft items, and having the information online allows all students to access the information when they need it, 24/7.
The other focus of the product is to offer adolescents a means of helping themselves work through the personal problems and conditions represented by this content. It is very easy for students to find national hotline numbers for information about AIDS/HIV, alcohol and drugs, depression, eating disorders, grief and loss, homelessness and runaways, mental health, rape and domestic violence, school violence, sexuality, stress, suicide, pregnancy, and teen parenting in this resource.
A unique aspect of this product in relation to other resources on the market is that this database is designed to be a personal guide for students in addition to being a research aid. The home page of the database includes “Dr. Jan’s Corner,” which presents questions that teens ask Dr. Jan Hittelman, Ph.D. and his answers. (Dr. Hittelman is a licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with adults, children, adolescents, and families in a variety of settings.) The home page also includes a Personal Story, which presents authentic essays from real teens dealing with a wide variety of problems and conditions, and how they cope. These stories add a dimension of relevance and caring to the product that is unique and become part of the permanent article content of the site. The home page also has an changing, interactive Cast Your Vote section that lets students vote on issues such as “What’s the best idea for a first date?” then see how other teens voted, and includes more information about the topic. Finally, the home page presents In the News and Did You Know? sections that discuss important issues of the day plus advice to help teens competently work through these problems or find assistance.
Although this product is brand new and my high school library is using only a trial version, I have already gotten very positive feedback on the database from parent volunteers who have seen the home page. One parent was thrilled to see a Did You Know section on the home page regarding bulimia, because her daughter recently confided having this problem to her. The parent wanted to use the database both to inform herself about the issue and treatment options, but also to show to her daughter so that she could take ownership of her condition.
Additionally, I conducted usability testing of this product with five chemistry classes at ThunderRidge High School with students in ninth through twelfth grades. The chemistry teacher required them to use this database as one resource for writing a paper on a particular drug. The results were extremely positive. Students in almost all cases used this product exclusively, because the information they needed was easy to find, was written at their reading level, and satisfied the teacher’s request for them to use book resources, which in this product are digitized. In particular, these students loved that they could easily get perfect MLA citations for their chosen articles and find articles about their topic from several authors. The chemistry teacher was thrilled with the results, because she was assured that the sources students found were authoritative, accurate, unbiased, and current.
Controversial topics are handled sensitively and with both objectivity and compassion. In the case of teenage sexuality and pregnancy, the database includes a large article about abstinence. Abortion is also covered with discussion about the main issues on both sides of the controversy, plus the emotional and physical effects on young women. In all cases, teens are advised to talk with trusted adults and professionals to find help with their problems and fears.
While it’s made clear that the database doesn’t replace professional direction from a doctor or counselor, it does offer an empowering resource that can give teens a solid starting point for dealing with a medical, emotional, or social challenge. Specific strategies are offered both for dealing with a problem they may be facing or helping a friend or loved one through a challenge. Factual information is given, but, unlike other resources, which sometimes give just a thumbnail description of a condition, Teen Health and Wellness entries try to anticipate and address teen-specific concerns. For example, in the asthma entry, issues pertaining to whether or not you can still play an instrument or participate in sports if you suffer from asthma are covered. Entries also include a section with ten important questions to ask when you do go to a professional.
The search interface is extremely easy and consistent throughout the product and allows students to type in a search, browse by subject area, or browse by topic from A to Z on every screen. Search results are easy to access and navigate, and search terms are highlighted in context. The database offers a very friendly spellchecker, which tells students that “No results were found for ‘ecstacy.’ Did you mean ‘ecstasy’? If this is not what you’re looking for, try ‘Browse A-Z’.” This page has the correct spelling of the search term highlighted so that if clicked will lead students to the results page. Browse A-Z is also highlighted so students can see all topics in that alphabetic group by clicking on that link.
VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
April 1, 2007
With the tag line “real life, real answers, ”Rosen’s Teen Health & Wellness resource seeks to connect young adults with credible information on health and wellness topics. It does so with an interface that caters to two different kinds of users: those completing research assignments on health topics and those seeking self-help information.
The bulk of the database is a diverse collection of articles ranging from commonly researched health concerns, such as diabetes and epilepsy, to recent hot topics such as “Methamphetamine and Crystal Meth” use, “Self-Mutilation” or “Cutting,” and what to do during a “Terrorism” attack. The database is rounded out with issues that relate to teenage development, such as online dating, safe driving, and joining the military.
Each article has several sections, whose headings are displayed in a table of contents on a side menu. At the bottom of the page, links to the previous and next sections also help users move within the information. The articles fully describe each topic and include characteristics such as how a condition is diagnosed, historical notes, and statistical data. Also included are myths and facts about the topic and suggested methods for getting help. Noteworthy are lists of ten questions that a teen could use when talking to a doctor, counselor, or other resource person. Some articles even list questions for teens to ask themselves. The answers to these questions are not provided, allowing the user to create a dialogue. I found some lists to be quite poignant, and imagine that they could be tough but very useful to ask and answer. Examples: “What are the chances that I’ll be stationed overseas or in a dangerous assignment if I enlist in the military?” “Can I have contact with my baby after the adoption is completed?” “What are the chances that the chemotherapy will work and how will I know it is working?”
Users may browse easily for additional information in related articles listed under the table of contents.
Several features that enhance this database are available from the home page: an advice column, a Web poll that returns results instantly, and personal stories, which are first-person accounts that illustrate the issue being described and provide greater understanding. Emerging from a story-writing project sponsored by Rosen, they include stories by Kevin, a Microsoft lawyer who struggles with dyslexia; Zoey and Sophia, who are twins; and several people who became parents as teenagers. The advice column, called “Dr. Jan’s Corner,” is written by psychologist Dr. Jan S. Hittleman, who addresses questions about topics such as teen stress and what to do if a friend is contemplating suicide. Each answer is linked to a pertinent article in the database.
The few illustrations seem limited to charts on the human body, although small icons sprinkled throughout the page provide some visual interest. These icons highlight sections of the text and include these headings: “reality check,” “number crunching,” “quick tip,” “helping hand,” “med speak,” and “you’re not alone.”
One can follow several paths to locate information in the database. A search box is always present at the top left corner of the screen. Users may also browse the database by subject, which presents a topic tree that includes broad categories such as “Developmental Disabilities and Disorders," ”Drugs and Alcohol,” and “Diversity.” An “A to Z” list of topics is also available.
All articles are signed by the author and all have been reviewed by a member of the resource’s Expert Review Board. The reviewer’s name and a link to her credentials appear at the end of each article. The date when the article was last updated is also noted, along with a suggestion for citing the resource. The Expert Review Board has also had a hand in the scope of the database and decisions about what to include and how to present the information. They did their job very well: Politically controversial topics such as abortion and gay lifestyles are present and completely described in this database. It is my opinion that the writers and editors have kept the text free of bias and do not advocate for a particular side of any argument.
Everything about this database seems very thoughtfully considered. One wonders if the few omissions were intended. For instance, articles on death and dying focus only on what to do if a pet, friend, or loved one dies, not what to do if an individual is faced with his own life-threatening illness. Most articles written about life- threatening illnesses do not discuss in great detail the possibility of death. The article on HIV/AIDS mentions that a diagnosis does not mean a death sentence, offering the name of Magic Johnson as someone living with an AIDS diagnosis. The article dealing with bone cancer notes that most cancers are “not terminal,” and the article discussing brain cancer suggests that sufferers stay as involved in school and social activities as possible, as a way of coping with the diagnosis and body and cognitive changes during treatment. Although I think that it might be important to have a part of the grief article that reaches out to those teens who might be struggling with a terminal diagnosis, I appreciate the life-affirming tone of the other articles that deal with potentially terminal diseases. They do so without glossing over the extremely serious nature of these conditions. Their explanations are honest but also do much to improve a person’s outlook on his or her condition.
A smaller omission is information on the effects of chewing tobacco.
Of great importance is a red “hotline” link that is very visible in the navigation bar on the top right, which connects the user to a page that lists the 800 numbers and Web sites of several reputable organizations. The first two numbers, listed in red, are the suicide hotline and 911. These hotline numbers are also placed within relevant articles so that teens know where to turn for more information.
This exemplary product is well worth including in the online resource collections of public libraries, high schools, and middle schools. It fills a much-needed niche that has long been empty.
Young Adult Library Services (YALS)
April 1, 2007
Miriam Gilbert, director of electronic sales and marketing for Rosen Publishing, assures that Rosen’s new online database, Teen Health & Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers (THW), is primarily concerned with the empowerment of teens. While this database adapts hundreds of Rosen’s award-winning publications to create a resource full of charged subjects, Gilbert insists that the material be objective: “It’s not for us [Rosen] to make decisions for teens, but rather to ensure that there are no barriers to information.” Students working on a report for school will find THW has current, accurate information representing all perspectives on the topic, not just one point of view. It also provides formatted citations for each article to include in a bibliography. Teachers looking for material to supplement a health or science lesson will find THW meets both state and national education standards for health, science, and language arts and was developed with a team of educators and librarians who understand classroom needs. Contributors include not only experts in fields such as medicine, mental health, nutrition, substance abuse prevention, guidance, and career counseling, but also teens themselves. Gilbert is particularly proud of the personal stories that are continuously collected from teens who have dealt with many of the issues presented, a project that benefits readers and writers alike. YA contributors, identified by first name only, have the opportunity to help others while becoming published. Some of their stories are serious while others are humorous; but, all are important experiences that become part of this growing resource that helps teens, parents, and educators alike.
The user-friendliness of the site begins on the home page, where clarity and ease of navigation lead researchers to subject areas, telephone hotlines (all of which have passed Gilbert’s objectivity test), advice, personal stories, current topics (“in the news”), and interactive polls and quizzes. Articles include recommendations for further reading as well as Web sites and organizations approved by Rosen editors. Conveniently, the THW database offers similar spellings in search results, asking “Did you mean . . . ?” for frequently misspelled words (such as medical terminology) rather than producing a negative result such as “No hits returned.”
Librarians know how important it is to find the right material for teens; “I don’t know” is not good enough. Rosen agrees. There is no “I don’t know” for THW users, but rather a clear format, seamless navigation, and accurate information along with a boost of assistance for those who may not be sure what they need or how to spell it.
ARBA Online, American Reference Books Annual
February 15, 2007
This new subscription-based Web site from Rosen Publishing is designed to provide students with curricular support and self-help tools on health-related topics that are important to them, including diseases, drugs, nutrition, mental health, family life, and more. The content for Teen Health & Wellness has been pulled from Rosen's extensive list of titles in their health series, including Coping, Need to Know, and others. Because health information can change so quickly much of the information has been reviewed by health professionals and updated by Rosen staff before being added to the Web site. The publisher has updated much of the text of the entries since book text does not always translate correctly onto the Web.
Although aimed at junior high and high school age readers, the content of the site will appeal to the general adult reader as well. In fact, this would be a great place for concerned teachers or parents to turn when needing more information on health topics that are of concern to young adults. The site provides articles on many of the expected topics (e.g., allergies, eating disorders, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases); however, it also touches on many subjects that would be difficult to find in other sources (e.g., bullying and cyber-bullying, grief and loss, loss and your community [natural disaster, terrorism], abusive dating relationships). The articles are clear and easy to read and are presented on a clean interface. Throughout users will find first-person accounts of teens who have faced health and mental issues as well as national 24-hour hotline numbers for teens who need more information or who may be facing a health crisis. The site also features a glossary that users can pull up for help at any time. The content has been written to align to current curriculum standards, making this resource ideal for classroom reports or for teachers preparing lesson plans.
The search capabilities of this site are impressive as well and it is clear that much thought when into its design. Users can search by specific topics or can browse by subject. The subject list is particularly useful as major subject categories come up in bold caps and in bold text, content sections within categories come up in bold text with lower case letters, and entries come up in plain text. Like major search engines, this site has the advanced search function that will help users find what they are looking for in case they have misspelled their search word by coming up with a list of possible alternatives. The site features automatically generated citations as well as print and e-mail capabilities. It also provides direct links to related Websites and organizations that are listed in entries. The site will let you know when you are leaving Teen Health & Wellness and all of the sites have been reviewed and approved by Rosen editors so that they are appropriate for this age group.
This site has an incredible amount of information available on health and mental health topics for teens, parents, and teachers. It is intuitive and appears to be updated on a regular basis. The homepage, for instance, is updated with the latest medical news and social issues so users will always have a reason to come back to the site. With all of the issues facing young adults today parents, teachers, and librarians will be glad to have a reliable and informative place to send students with their health and social concerns. This site is highly recommended for junior high, high school, and public libraries.
Testimonials
**NEW** “When Chicago Public Schools was introduced to the Teen Health & Wellness database from Rosen, we were impressed with the quality and variety of the information, the look of the Web site, and the ease of navigation. Our health education experts enthusiastically approved the content, and we saw that it would meet student needs for both school assignments and personal exploration.”
—Paul Whitsitt, Director of Libraries and Information Services, Chicago Public Schools
**NEW** “[Teen Health & Wellness] is a great product that will be used to fill a niche in the information market that teens need and want. The price is affordable, the interface is inviting, the teacher resources are well done, and the possibilities are all there to support quality information searching. It will be great having this resource for our students.”
—Ann Mayo Gallagher, District Librarian, Oakland Unified School District
"Teen Health & Wellness fills an unmet need. With Teen Health & Wellness there is finally a well-done, professional caliber health resource for teens that is authoritative and reliable."
—Linda DeMuro, Director of Library Services, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
"Only Rosen could produce a database of this depth, quality, ease-of-use, and economy. Rosen understands teens and meets them where they are. With its holistic and interactive approach and authority, teens will be comfortable and find comfort here. Libraries serious about serving teens must have this database. Teen Health & Wellness is simply the best teen resource available!"
—Shawna Thorup, Assistant Director, Fayetteville Public Library
“This resource will change lives.”
—Paula Busey, Head Librarian, ThunderRidge High School
“Rosen Publishing has long been a teen ally. This new [Teen] Health & Wellness offering speaks to teens in the digital language they prefer. By providing teens with instant access to accurate information, this database will save teens lives.”
—Laura Cleveland, Youth Services Librarian, Fayetteville Public Library
"I am so excited to be the lucky winner of a one-year subscription to Rosen Publishing's Teen Health & Wellness database! My staff is equally enthusiastic. When I notified them, several responded that they were eager to use this wonderful resource with their students. A biology teacher said that the site was great--she was looking for resources for a biology unit on MRSA, and that was the first topic she saw when she accessed the site. Our home and family living teachers told me that it would be a great resource for their study of everything from family life to nutrition to psychology. Some health and physical education teachers will use it as a first site for students to access when looking for information for their research papers. Thank you again, from me and from my staff, for this very useful gift."
—Peggy Nystrom, Librarian, Mariner High School, Everett, WA
"I can not even begin to describe to you how pleased I am that the Greenwood County Public Library will be able to offer the Teen Health & Wellness database to our teens. 'Wow' is a good start! Our library has recently looked at this service for our teens. Teens are often reluctant to speak to an adult about health issues, and this concerns us. To be able to provide this service now is an incredible opportunity. We pride ourselves on having an excellent materials collection. To be able to add the Teen Health & Wellness database is a welcome service. Thank you to Rosen Publishing for this amazing gift."
—Tracey Ouzts, Young Adult Librarian, Greenwood County Public Library
"When my students use Teen Health & Wellness they find the information they need simply and quickly, and have no interest in using Google. They love the database; our teachers love the database; and I couldn't be happier. Every school and library serving teenagers should subscribe. Excellent resource!"
—Cynthia M. Davis, School Library Media Specialist, East High School, Buffalo, NY
"“Teen Health & Wellness has been a great addition for Hononegah High School's library. Our health classes use this excellent resource several times each semester for research projects, and many other classes have found it useful too. The design of this database makes searching simple and the formatted source information on each page makes citing easy. Remote access is another feature that makes Teen Health & Wellness a resource that students want to access for both academic and personal information."
—Susan Bohn, Head Librarian, Hononegah High School, Rockton, IL
"The Westerly Public Library is thankful that Rosen is awarding us a free subscription to the Teen Health & Wellness database. We're excited to offer such an important tool to teens in a way that matches their online lives! We're confident that teens will find the database a private, convenient, and authoritative source for information geared to their needs. This is a gift that will benefit many people in our area and we're grateful to win such an amazing prize."
—Angel Ferria, YA Associate, Westerly Public Library & Wilcox Park, Westerly, RI
"Last night my 16 year old son was working on an assignment for his health class. He had to get 2 articles from the internet on a certain topic and then summarize and compare the content from each. He found one article quite quickly and then went to Teen Health & Wellness. He immediately found what he was looking for and was able to breeze through the assignment. He had to say which article he thought was better and he picked the Teen Health & Wellness article because it gave him better information. My son is a reluctant reader and he was able to use the Rosen Web site easily and with success."
—Donna Palmyra, Parent
"I am impressed with the amount of relevant information contained in Teen Health & Wellness. My students find the site very easy to use for research reports. I will continue to use Teen Health & Wellness for future assignments in my health classes, as well as background information for my lessons."
—David Nowak, PE/Health Teacher, Dundee-Crown High School
Selected as one of Library Journal’s Best Reference Sources of 2007
Best New Product, 2007 Readers’ Choice Awards, The Charleston Advisor
"A terrific product from Rosen Publishing that meets an important need of a critical group."
Teen Health & Wellness has been honored with an EDDIE (Annual Education Software Review) Award from ComputED Learning Center. The Award honors programs that augment the classroom curriculum and improve teacher productivity. Selection criteria include academic content, potential for broad classroom use, technical merit, subject approach, and management system.
The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) honors high quality learning resources that exhibit superior educational content and value with its Distinguished Achievement Award, a mark of outstanding quality and achievement. Teen Health & Wellness was selected as winner in the Educational Websites for Specialized Instruction category.
Rosen Publishing is proud to announce that Teen Health and Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers has been selected as a winner of the 13th Annual Best Educational Software (BESSIE) Award. The Award targets innovative and content-rich programs and Web sites which provide parents and teachers with the technology to foster educational excellence.
Teen Health & Wellness has been honored with a Bronze Award, Patient Education Information Web Site for Adolescents/Young Adults from the World Wide Web Health Awards. This program recognizes the best Web-based health-related content for consumers and professionals. A panel of international health information and Internet experts judge entries based on content, creativity, accuracy, success in reaching the targeted audience, and overall quality. The National Health Information Awards program is organized by the Health Information Resource Center (HIRC), a national clearinghouse for consumer health programs and materials.
Read reviews and accolades from:
- School Library Journal
- Cheryl LaGuardia, Library Journal E-views
- Library Journal
- Booklist
- **NEW** Kirkus Reviews
- **NEW** Library Media Connection
- The Charleston Advisor
- VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
- Young Adult Library Services (YALS)
- ARBA Online, American Reference Books Annual
School Library Journal (2007 Top 10 Digital Resource)
May 1, 2008
Teen Health and Wellness was specifically designed to meet the needs of teenagers in the areas of health, fitness, alcohol, drugs, mental health, family life, and more. When I shared the database with teens, it was immediately obvious that they loved it, but the bonus factor was how much classroom teachers and even health-care providers (nurses and counselors) also liked the content. Because no topic is off-limits and information is provided from a medical viewpoint, students can discretely locate information that they know is accurate and reliable. This groundbreaking database provides so many different avenues for students to learn about health that it should be in every high school library. If your school doesn’t have a subscription to Teen Health and Wellness, find a way to get one!
School Library Journal (Review)
March 15, 2007
Teen Health and Wellness Breaks New Ground: The right content in the right format
As teenagers struggle with issues of health, body image, and sexual identity, few librarians can offer students all the resources they need on every topic—when they need them. Even if a library has purchased these “hot topic” titles, they are often missing from the shelves when you need them. However, there is now one database that introduces a wealth of information specifically designed for teenagers that will find a permanent spot in many school and public library collections.
Cost: Annual subscriptions for schools begin at $595 per building. Pricing is based on enrollment. District or multiple building pricing is available. Annual subscriptions for public libraries begin at $595 per building. Pricing is based on cardholder numbers. System-wide pricing is available. All pricing is for unlimited, simultaneous access and includes remote access and ongoing content enhancements and updates.
The Big Picture: As the inaugural database for Rosen Publishing Online, Teen Health and Wellness is the first database specifically designed for teenagers on issues relating to health, fitness, alcohol, drugs, mental health, family life, and much more. Drawing on Rosen’s award-winning series such as “Coping,” “Need to Know,” “Drug Prevention Library,” and others, Teen Health and Wellness provides young adults with authoritative content that is reviewed by experts in the areas of medicine, mental health, nutrition, guidance, and counseling.
The first in the field to provide a near-comprehensive online health resource specifically for teens, this database encapsulates the best information on a wide variety of topics. High-interest features, as well as up-to-date resources, will allow students to locate reliable information in a discreet manner while being offered additional resources for contacting health care professionals within their communities for additional information or support.
Teen Health and Wellness is ADA compliant and is aligned to national curriculum standards. With regularly updated home page features that relate to medical and social issues, database articles, resource sections with Web sites, organizations, and recommended reading, this database provides students with the resources to both investigate personal medical information and answer in-depth research questions for classroom assignments.
Look & Feel: The clean, fresh look of Rosen’s Teen Health and Wellness will immediately draw interest from teens. A banner at the top of the page announces “real life, real answers” which should attract user interest in the content. Students may immediately begin searching by selecting the “Browse by Subject” or the “Browse by A-Z” buttons or they can type their search topic in the Search box on the top of the page.
The home page is divided into several sections which focus on specific areas. “In the News” presents timely topics while in “Dr. Jan’s Corner” Jan Hittelman, a licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience, answers readers’ e-mail questions. “Personal Story” provides compelling, teen-authored stories. “Cast Your Vote,” a quick survey on topics such as dating, comes with a “Reality Check” section within the results that discusses issues relating to relationships and how to find solutions or help with tough situations. A “Did You Know?” section reveals a topic of interest such as bullying, and how students can find help with problems that they might feel they face alone.
On the left-hand side of the homepage, users will find a lengthy list of topics, including body basics; diseases; friendship and dating; grief and loss; nutrition; sexual health; and skills for school, work, and life. By selecting one of these topics, the user is immediately provided with a new search page, which allows them to narrow their subject choices to more specific content information.
How It Works: Students accessing the database will find four different search options: Browse by Subject, Browse by A-Z, a Search box for typing a search term, and a list of Search Topics. Upon beginning a query, each option presents users with a new search page with topics to help narrow the search. When a specific topic is selected, the user is directed to the articles available on that topic.
One obvious selection that will be made by many teenagers is “Sexuality and Sex Health.” Once selected, the user is taken to a page which includes topics such as: Abstinence, For Girls—Your Body, For Boys—Your Body, Pregnancy Prevention, STDs and Sexual Health, Sexual Identity, Sexual Violence, Teen Parenting, and Teen Pregnancy. Beneath each of these general topics are links to more specific information.
For example, under the topic Pregnancy Prevention, the subtopic Safe Sex has an article that describes “What is Safe Sex?” On the right-hand side of the article is an icon that reads “Reality Check” (with a sign similar to a yield sign); this is a “heart-to-heart” discussion of the subject for teens who might not otherwise realize the important issues relating to the topic. The second paragraph features another icon that also reads “Reality Check” (this time it’s a light bulb); here readers are presented with factual information about the responsibility of sexual relationships, the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases, the rights of each individual within the relationship, and more.
Each article includes the author, the source from which the content has been taken, and the complete article citation in MLA format. Students may print or e-mail articles and a complete bibliography can be generated by selecting the “Cite This Article” button.
To the left of the article is a list of “Article Sections,” which correspond to the subject, as well as hyperlinked “Resources,” “Further Readings,” and a “Glossary.” Below the “Article Sections” is a box with “Related Articles.” Finally, on the bottom of the article page is a white box which features a telephone “Hot Line” resource link; this directs students to a list of possible resources for additional information or instructs them on how to reach professionals for more in-depth assistance or help.
For Students & Teachers: Rosen’s Teen Health and Wellness is a breakthrough in database content; it is a long-awaited resource for up-to-date topics in health and fitness that are often missing in many libraries. Through the inclusion of general health topics, as well as sensitive and straightforward discussions of topics that may not be included in many school library collections, this database addresses the needs of many teenagers while providing sensible solutions, options, and resources.
Some may find that, on a few topics, the information is uncomfortably frank. However, this database gives students the opportunity to research health information through medically reviewed content and gain assistance from responsible adults. Through the use of the database contents, teachers and librarians can collaborate to assist students in both educational research and personal health issues, while providing reliable information that can also be shared with parents, counselors, or personal health care professionals.
Report Card: A ground-breaking database that is the first to completely focus on the medical health and emotional needs of teenagers, Rosen’s Teen Health and Wellness database receives an A+. Even while the content continues to grow (by the end of this month it will include an Educator Resources section and national level curriculum correlations for middle and high schools in all 50 states), this database is the front-runner in health information for teenagers and a definite must-have for all high school and public libraries.
Cheryl LaGuardia, Library Journal E-views
July 15, 2007
What is it? Teen Health and Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers inaugurates Rosen Publishing Online, the newest division of the family-owned, educational company that offers curriculum-based guidance and self-help books for children and YAs. The content comes from more than 500 books in various Rosen series (including Coping, Epidemics, and Family Matters), which are written by professionals with backgrounds in career counseling, guidance, medicine, psychology, and science. All of the content is revised and updated for online use by an impressive professional review board. The file also contains a Glossary, Hotlines, “Dr. Jan’s Corner” (answers to reader letters from licensed psychologist Jan S. Hittelman, Ph.D.), personal stories by individual teens, and more.
How does it work? Eye-catchingly yet practically designed for easy navigation, the home page features attractive banner photos of real teens (including diverse ethnicities, differently abled individuals, and a host of contexts); a Search box at upper screen right; Hotlines; a Glossary; Site Help at screen top right; two Browse choices (by subject and A-to-Z); a list of Subject area links (e.g., Body Basics; Diversity, Drugs, and Alcohol; and Skills for School, Work, and Life); and, in screen center, sections on “In the News,” “Dr. Jan’s Corner,” “Cast Your Vote,” “Personal Story,” and “Did You Know?”
Across screen bottom is also a link to Librarian/Educator Resources, Reviews and Testimonials, and information about Rosen Publishing.
Can you use it? I checked out the screen center sections first. The “In the News” item at the time of review, “More TV, Less Diabetes Control?” was an excellent article on diabetes, its causes and symptoms, those likely to get it, how it’s diagnosed, “Ten Great Questions To Ask After You Have Been Diagnosed with Diabetes,” treatment, myths and facts, a list of resources, a “For Further Reading” section, and a list of terms from the Glossary that will be of use in understanding diabetes.
At screen left, throughout the article, are links to the different sections of the article, as well as links to related articles in the database; buttons for printing, emailing, or citing the article (the citation is also a persistent banner at the bottom of each screen); and a highlighted “HOTLINE” button to get help now. Each article indicates the author’s name, the reviewer’s name, and the date the article was updated; in this case, it was April 2007. And that’s the material available from just one click on the home page!
“Cast Your Vote” is an immediate feedback reader poll; for this review, the issue was “What time is your curfew on weekends?” When I cast my vote (“I don’t have a curfew”), I got the poll results: 86 percent of the respondents were in the same boat.
The “Personal Story” was “I’m Not Afraid of Asthma,” from a teen with the disease who has found good ways to cope with it via medication, relaxation, and changing sports. It cut right to the heart of the issues—fear, embarrassment, disappointment—before ending with “I’m not going to let it stop me.” Realistic, yet upbeat.
Next, I tried a search for AIDS and got 110 results, the first of which was a top-notch article on “AIDS/HIV.” It contained many of the same sections as the diabetes article above and was updated in May 2007. One of the best things about these articles is their matter-of-fact language; the material is neither preachy nor condescending, offering facts, options, and resources while making no judgments.
One phrase I saw throughout was “you’re not alone.” The articles are supportive, but they require readers to consider their choices and take responsibility in relationships and interactions.
What’s the cost? The annual subscription cost to schools begins at $595 per building; price is based on enrollment and includes unlimited, simultaneous access; remote access; and ongoing content enhancements and updates, with district or multiple-building pricing available on request.
The annual subscription cost to public libraries begins at $595 per building; price is based on cardholder numbers, with system-wide pricing available on request, and includes the benefits listed for schools.
How good is it? Based on my examination, the content is pretty up-to-date for a book-based file. The design also impresses: neither glitzy nor kludgey, it just does the job well. I would imagine that teens might approach any self-help file suspiciously, but this one is likely to reach them effectively. A strong 10.
Bottom line Essential for public and secondary school libraries, perhaps even academic libraries with graduate education programs. Librarians could also suggest it to parents and teens.
Library Journal
February 15, 2007
Last month, Rosen Publishing unveiled its Teen Health & Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers database at the ALA Midwinter conference in Seattle. Developed primarily for teens, "with their unique concerns and perspective in mind," the product is based on the publisher's backlist but goes well beyond providing definitions of terms and conditions to serve as a one-stop self-help resource and a fully interactive online community center for teen health and wellness, featuring polls and quizzes, first-person narratives, national 24-hour hotlines for teens in crisis, automatically generated citations, numerous print and email functions, multiple paths to information via browse, search and high-interest features, and more. The publisher takes special pride in the product's authoritative content, which was reviewed by a library advisory board as well as leading professionals in the fields of medicine, mental health, nutrition, guidance, and career counseling. The database is searchable by 14 subject categories-including Diseases, Infections, and Conditions; Friendship and Dating; Grief and Loss; Nutrition, Fitness, and Appearance; Safety; and Sexuality and Sexual Health-and its content will be updated as frequently as twice a month.
Booklist
April 2007
Teens have many concerns about emotional, mental, and physical health issues, and these areas are often subjects for homework assignments. Designed to be a resource both for self-help and school research, this database is a good starting point for basic information. The home page welcomes users with current news (for example, "Playing Sports Safely," "More Schools Go Smoke-Free"); an interactive health quiz; and a personal story from a teen (participating in a human rights for Darfur march, being a twin). It also has Dr. Jan’s Corner, with answers to questions about mental health issues from Dr. Jan Hittleman, a licensed psychologist. His past columns are available for reading online, but users cannot submit questions to him.
The database is searchable alphabetically by topic or via the search box. In addition, content is organized under 14 broad topics, such as Body Basics, Eating Disorders, and Grief and Loss. Users will find a wide variety of information about basic human anatomy and physiology (Brain and spinal cord, Circulatory system); disabilities (Apserger’s syndrome, Cerebral palsy); diseases and conditions (AIDS and HIV, Allergies); diversity (Being a biracial teen/biethnic teen, Being part of an interfaith family); mental health (Depression and mood disorders, Stress); family issues (Domestic violence, Teen parenting); and many other concerns facing teens. All of the content was drawn from books in various Rosen series, including Coping, the Drug Abuse Prevention Library, and the Need to Know Library, and was reviewed by an editorial board of physicians, nurses, psychotherapists, and other health professionals. The articles are easy to read, with their major sections listed on the left for easy linking. All have resource lists and links to glossary terms. Many have "Ten good questions to ask" your doctor, therapist, etc. The content is designed to both inform and support teens. Articles on disabilities include information about living with them. Sensitive topics are also covered; for example, the article on sexual orientation discusses such issues as the pros and cons of coming out and the challenges of having gay parents. The database also has a hotlines list, which is useful for both emergency and referral purposes.
Teen Health & Wellness is an excellent resource for school and public libraries as well as academic libraries supporting counseling programs. Students seeking in-depth information about these topics and issues will need to supplement what they find here with other resources, but this database provides a strong introduction, especially to psychosocial issues, as well as support for those who are dealing with problems.
Kirkus Reviews
September 2007
Building upon its 50-plus-year history of providing accurate, age-appropriate health and wellness books for teens, Rosen Publishing enters the digital age with its new online subscription resource Teen Health & Wellness. Furthering its reputation for delivering objective information about difficult subjects—Rosen was the first publisher to offer teens a book about venereal disease—Rosen Online provides a user-friendly resource that delivers the goods in clear, uncomplicated language. The scope of the project is enormous; sections include “Body Basics,” “Drugs and Alcohol,” “Mind, Mood and Emotions” and “Skills for School, Work and Life.” Teens can search for specific information, browse broad subjects or use an alphabetical index. The articles are written specifically for teens and are reviewed by specialists in the appropriate fields. An enormous effort was made in the development to solicit teen input, says Rosen Online editorial director Erin Lockledge. “They’re such a great user group to work with,” she says, “because if they don’t like something they’ll just tell you, and that allowed us to build a resource that met their needs and their approval. ... [They] especially like the ‘Personal Story Project,’ where we ask teens across the country to submit their own stories about issues related to health and wellness. Some stories are very lighthearted, and others are very, very moving. These stories are both a way for them to have a voice on the site and to show other teen users that they aren’t alone.” Laura Cleveland, a high-school specialist at the public library in Fayetteville, Ark., says, “I am personally convinced that this 24/7 resource, with its big red ‘Get Help’ button, is going to save teen lives.” Add such features as graphic aids to target specific information within an article, diagrams, photographs and ready-for-bibliography MLA citations, and this is a powerful resource tailored to an audience badly in need of accurate, reliable information.
Library Media Connection
September 2007
* Starred review *
This information-rich, attractive, and easily used database has solid information on diseases, illnesses, disabilities, drugs, and alcohol. There is also information on mental health, friendship, dating, family life, grief, sexuality, and life skills. Information can be accessed by the search box on each page, an A-Z index, which opens to articles with numerous sub-headings, or by clicking one of the subjects listed on the homepage. Helpful features include icons that highlight key information and drawings of major organs. Hotlines can be located from the homepage, which also includes a news feature and a psychologist fielding a question-and-answer column. The clearly written articles are reviewed and signed by physicians. Students using the information for reports will appreciate the citations. The program will be helpful for students curious or concerned about any aspect of health. Adults will find the material helps them talk to teens about these topics. It would be perfect for work done in health classes, family living classes, and for reports in social studies and language arts. Highly Recommended.
The Charleston Advisor
April 2007
4 and 3/4 stars out of a possible five stars
Those of us who serve teens in public and school settings are familiar with the challenges of providing health information to this group. We are able to serve the handful of students who have the nerve to approach the librarian for information on issues that are deeply private to them. For the much larger majority of youth who do not trust the librarian enough to expose their personal problems, they may possibly perform a Google search, talk to a trusted peer, or in many cases suffer in silence. Information from the Web may be excellent, or may offer destructive advice such as methods for committing suicide, or starving yourself to achieve weight loss, and may expose them to untrustworthy adults who prey on the young. Within schools, most districts now have third party filters that may restrict access to any Web pages, good and bad, on sensitive topics. Many of us are also acutely aware that students in general have no idea of how to evaluate the information they find on the Web, and so we spend our limited resources on good databases that provide vetted information.
The Teen Health and Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers database is an important and unique new resource for school and public libraries to offer their adolescent users. Teen-friendly articles make complex topics understandable and thoroughly easy to use for both personal and curricular needs. They also give insight into the teen experience—crucial for parents, teachers, librarians, therapists, and others who are part of teens’ lives and who support teens. In support of academic curriculum, this database gives students the content of over 500 Rosen titles from 23 of Rosen’s series. Each article of this database is presented to help students quickly identify key points of the content and includes an MLA citation to make it easy to create bibliographies. The topics covered in this database are highly requested in secondary school and public libraries, and this resource makes it easy to serve multiple students looking for the same topic. Additionally, print resources on many of the topics on health and diseases need to be frequently updated, and, for libraries with limited budgets, this database allows librarians to have the most current information without purchasing new print editions. Indeed, some of the books included in this resource are high-theft items, and having the information online allows all students to access the information when they need it, 24/7.
The other focus of the product is to offer adolescents a means of helping themselves work through the personal problems and conditions represented by this content. It is very easy for students to find national hotline numbers for information about AIDS/HIV, alcohol and drugs, depression, eating disorders, grief and loss, homelessness and runaways, mental health, rape and domestic violence, school violence, sexuality, stress, suicide, pregnancy, and teen parenting in this resource.
A unique aspect of this product in relation to other resources on the market is that this database is designed to be a personal guide for students in addition to being a research aid. The home page of the database includes “Dr. Jan’s Corner,” which presents questions that teens ask Dr. Jan Hittelman, Ph.D. and his answers. (Dr. Hittelman is a licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with adults, children, adolescents, and families in a variety of settings.) The home page also includes a Personal Story, which presents authentic essays from real teens dealing with a wide variety of problems and conditions, and how they cope. These stories add a dimension of relevance and caring to the product that is unique and become part of the permanent article content of the site. The home page also has an changing, interactive Cast Your Vote section that lets students vote on issues such as “What’s the best idea for a first date?” then see how other teens voted, and includes more information about the topic. Finally, the home page presents In the News and Did You Know? sections that discuss important issues of the day plus advice to help teens competently work through these problems or find assistance.
Although this product is brand new and my high school library is using only a trial version, I have already gotten very positive feedback on the database from parent volunteers who have seen the home page. One parent was thrilled to see a Did You Know section on the home page regarding bulimia, because her daughter recently confided having this problem to her. The parent wanted to use the database both to inform herself about the issue and treatment options, but also to show to her daughter so that she could take ownership of her condition.
Additionally, I conducted usability testing of this product with five chemistry classes at ThunderRidge High School with students in ninth through twelfth grades. The chemistry teacher required them to use this database as one resource for writing a paper on a particular drug. The results were extremely positive. Students in almost all cases used this product exclusively, because the information they needed was easy to find, was written at their reading level, and satisfied the teacher’s request for them to use book resources, which in this product are digitized. In particular, these students loved that they could easily get perfect MLA citations for their chosen articles and find articles about their topic from several authors. The chemistry teacher was thrilled with the results, because she was assured that the sources students found were authoritative, accurate, unbiased, and current.
Controversial topics are handled sensitively and with both objectivity and compassion. In the case of teenage sexuality and pregnancy, the database includes a large article about abstinence. Abortion is also covered with discussion about the main issues on both sides of the controversy, plus the emotional and physical effects on young women. In all cases, teens are advised to talk with trusted adults and professionals to find help with their problems and fears.
While it’s made clear that the database doesn’t replace professional direction from a doctor or counselor, it does offer an empowering resource that can give teens a solid starting point for dealing with a medical, emotional, or social challenge. Specific strategies are offered both for dealing with a problem they may be facing or helping a friend or loved one through a challenge. Factual information is given, but, unlike other resources, which sometimes give just a thumbnail description of a condition, Teen Health and Wellness entries try to anticipate and address teen-specific concerns. For example, in the asthma entry, issues pertaining to whether or not you can still play an instrument or participate in sports if you suffer from asthma are covered. Entries also include a section with ten important questions to ask when you do go to a professional.
The search interface is extremely easy and consistent throughout the product and allows students to type in a search, browse by subject area, or browse by topic from A to Z on every screen. Search results are easy to access and navigate, and search terms are highlighted in context. The database offers a very friendly spellchecker, which tells students that “No results were found for ‘ecstacy.’ Did you mean ‘ecstasy’? If this is not what you’re looking for, try ‘Browse A-Z’.” This page has the correct spelling of the search term highlighted so that if clicked will lead students to the results page. Browse A-Z is also highlighted so students can see all topics in that alphabetic group by clicking on that link.
VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
April 1, 2007
With the tag line “real life, real answers, ”Rosen’s Teen Health & Wellness resource seeks to connect young adults with credible information on health and wellness topics. It does so with an interface that caters to two different kinds of users: those completing research assignments on health topics and those seeking self-help information.
The bulk of the database is a diverse collection of articles ranging from commonly researched health concerns, such as diabetes and epilepsy, to recent hot topics such as “Methamphetamine and Crystal Meth” use, “Self-Mutilation” or “Cutting,” and what to do during a “Terrorism” attack. The database is rounded out with issues that relate to teenage development, such as online dating, safe driving, and joining the military.
Each article has several sections, whose headings are displayed in a table of contents on a side menu. At the bottom of the page, links to the previous and next sections also help users move within the information. The articles fully describe each topic and include characteristics such as how a condition is diagnosed, historical notes, and statistical data. Also included are myths and facts about the topic and suggested methods for getting help. Noteworthy are lists of ten questions that a teen could use when talking to a doctor, counselor, or other resource person. Some articles even list questions for teens to ask themselves. The answers to these questions are not provided, allowing the user to create a dialogue. I found some lists to be quite poignant, and imagine that they could be tough but very useful to ask and answer. Examples: “What are the chances that I’ll be stationed overseas or in a dangerous assignment if I enlist in the military?” “Can I have contact with my baby after the adoption is completed?” “What are the chances that the chemotherapy will work and how will I know it is working?”
Users may browse easily for additional information in related articles listed under the table of contents.
Several features that enhance this database are available from the home page: an advice column, a Web poll that returns results instantly, and personal stories, which are first-person accounts that illustrate the issue being described and provide greater understanding. Emerging from a story-writing project sponsored by Rosen, they include stories by Kevin, a Microsoft lawyer who struggles with dyslexia; Zoey and Sophia, who are twins; and several people who became parents as teenagers. The advice column, called “Dr. Jan’s Corner,” is written by psychologist Dr. Jan S. Hittleman, who addresses questions about topics such as teen stress and what to do if a friend is contemplating suicide. Each answer is linked to a pertinent article in the database.
The few illustrations seem limited to charts on the human body, although small icons sprinkled throughout the page provide some visual interest. These icons highlight sections of the text and include these headings: “reality check,” “number crunching,” “quick tip,” “helping hand,” “med speak,” and “you’re not alone.”
One can follow several paths to locate information in the database. A search box is always present at the top left corner of the screen. Users may also browse the database by subject, which presents a topic tree that includes broad categories such as “Developmental Disabilities and Disorders," ”Drugs and Alcohol,” and “Diversity.” An “A to Z” list of topics is also available.
All articles are signed by the author and all have been reviewed by a member of the resource’s Expert Review Board. The reviewer’s name and a link to her credentials appear at the end of each article. The date when the article was last updated is also noted, along with a suggestion for citing the resource. The Expert Review Board has also had a hand in the scope of the database and decisions about what to include and how to present the information. They did their job very well: Politically controversial topics such as abortion and gay lifestyles are present and completely described in this database. It is my opinion that the writers and editors have kept the text free of bias and do not advocate for a particular side of any argument.
Everything about this database seems very thoughtfully considered. One wonders if the few omissions were intended. For instance, articles on death and dying focus only on what to do if a pet, friend, or loved one dies, not what to do if an individual is faced with his own life-threatening illness. Most articles written about life- threatening illnesses do not discuss in great detail the possibility of death. The article on HIV/AIDS mentions that a diagnosis does not mean a death sentence, offering the name of Magic Johnson as someone living with an AIDS diagnosis. The article dealing with bone cancer notes that most cancers are “not terminal,” and the article discussing brain cancer suggests that sufferers stay as involved in school and social activities as possible, as a way of coping with the diagnosis and body and cognitive changes during treatment. Although I think that it might be important to have a part of the grief article that reaches out to those teens who might be struggling with a terminal diagnosis, I appreciate the life-affirming tone of the other articles that deal with potentially terminal diseases. They do so without glossing over the extremely serious nature of these conditions. Their explanations are honest but also do much to improve a person’s outlook on his or her condition.
A smaller omission is information on the effects of chewing tobacco.
Of great importance is a red “hotline” link that is very visible in the navigation bar on the top right, which connects the user to a page that lists the 800 numbers and Web sites of several reputable organizations. The first two numbers, listed in red, are the suicide hotline and 911. These hotline numbers are also placed within relevant articles so that teens know where to turn for more information.
This exemplary product is well worth including in the online resource collections of public libraries, high schools, and middle schools. It fills a much-needed niche that has long been empty.
Young Adult Library Services (YALS)
April 1, 2007
Miriam Gilbert, director of electronic sales and marketing for Rosen Publishing, assures that Rosen’s new online database, Teen Health & Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers (THW), is primarily concerned with the empowerment of teens. While this database adapts hundreds of Rosen’s award-winning publications to create a resource full of charged subjects, Gilbert insists that the material be objective: “It’s not for us [Rosen] to make decisions for teens, but rather to ensure that there are no barriers to information.” Students working on a report for school will find THW has current, accurate information representing all perspectives on the topic, not just one point of view. It also provides formatted citations for each article to include in a bibliography. Teachers looking for material to supplement a health or science lesson will find THW meets both state and national education standards for health, science, and language arts and was developed with a team of educators and librarians who understand classroom needs. Contributors include not only experts in fields such as medicine, mental health, nutrition, substance abuse prevention, guidance, and career counseling, but also teens themselves. Gilbert is particularly proud of the personal stories that are continuously collected from teens who have dealt with many of the issues presented, a project that benefits readers and writers alike. YA contributors, identified by first name only, have the opportunity to help others while becoming published. Some of their stories are serious while others are humorous; but, all are important experiences that become part of this growing resource that helps teens, parents, and educators alike.
The user-friendliness of the site begins on the home page, where clarity and ease of navigation lead researchers to subject areas, telephone hotlines (all of which have passed Gilbert’s objectivity test), advice, personal stories, current topics (“in the news”), and interactive polls and quizzes. Articles include recommendations for further reading as well as Web sites and organizations approved by Rosen editors. Conveniently, the THW database offers similar spellings in search results, asking “Did you mean . . . ?” for frequently misspelled words (such as medical terminology) rather than producing a negative result such as “No hits returned.”
Librarians know how important it is to find the right material for teens; “I don’t know” is not good enough. Rosen agrees. There is no “I don’t know” for THW users, but rather a clear format, seamless navigation, and accurate information along with a boost of assistance for those who may not be sure what they need or how to spell it.
ARBA Online, American Reference Books Annual
February 15, 2007
This new subscription-based Web site from Rosen Publishing is designed to provide students with curricular support and self-help tools on health-related topics that are important to them, including diseases, drugs, nutrition, mental health, family life, and more. The content for Teen Health & Wellness has been pulled from Rosen's extensive list of titles in their health series, including Coping, Need to Know, and others. Because health information can change so quickly much of the information has been reviewed by health professionals and updated by Rosen staff before being added to the Web site. The publisher has updated much of the text of the entries since book text does not always translate correctly onto the Web.
Although aimed at junior high and high school age readers, the content of the site will appeal to the general adult reader as well. In fact, this would be a great place for concerned teachers or parents to turn when needing more information on health topics that are of concern to young adults. The site provides articles on many of the expected topics (e.g., allergies, eating disorders, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases); however, it also touches on many subjects that would be difficult to find in other sources (e.g., bullying and cyber-bullying, grief and loss, loss and your community [natural disaster, terrorism], abusive dating relationships). The articles are clear and easy to read and are presented on a clean interface. Throughout users will find first-person accounts of teens who have faced health and mental issues as well as national 24-hour hotline numbers for teens who need more information or who may be facing a health crisis. The site also features a glossary that users can pull up for help at any time. The content has been written to align to current curriculum standards, making this resource ideal for classroom reports or for teachers preparing lesson plans.
The search capabilities of this site are impressive as well and it is clear that much thought when into its design. Users can search by specific topics or can browse by subject. The subject list is particularly useful as major subject categories come up in bold caps and in bold text, content sections within categories come up in bold text with lower case letters, and entries come up in plain text. Like major search engines, this site has the advanced search function that will help users find what they are looking for in case they have misspelled their search word by coming up with a list of possible alternatives. The site features automatically generated citations as well as print and e-mail capabilities. It also provides direct links to related Websites and organizations that are listed in entries. The site will let you know when you are leaving Teen Health & Wellness and all of the sites have been reviewed and approved by Rosen editors so that they are appropriate for this age group.
This site has an incredible amount of information available on health and mental health topics for teens, parents, and teachers. It is intuitive and appears to be updated on a regular basis. The homepage, for instance, is updated with the latest medical news and social issues so users will always have a reason to come back to the site. With all of the issues facing young adults today parents, teachers, and librarians will be glad to have a reliable and informative place to send students with their health and social concerns. This site is highly recommended for junior high, high school, and public libraries.
Testimonials
**NEW** “When Chicago Public Schools was introduced to the Teen Health & Wellness database from Rosen, we were impressed with the quality and variety of the information, the look of the Web site, and the ease of navigation. Our health education experts enthusiastically approved the content, and we saw that it would meet student needs for both school assignments and personal exploration.”
—Paul Whitsitt, Director of Libraries and Information Services, Chicago Public Schools
**NEW** “[Teen Health & Wellness] is a great product that will be used to fill a niche in the information market that teens need and want. The price is affordable, the interface is inviting, the teacher resources are well done, and the possibilities are all there to support quality information searching. It will be great having this resource for our students.”
—Ann Mayo Gallagher, District Librarian, Oakland Unified School District
"Teen Health & Wellness fills an unmet need. With Teen Health & Wellness there is finally a well-done, professional caliber health resource for teens that is authoritative and reliable."
—Linda DeMuro, Director of Library Services, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
"Only Rosen could produce a database of this depth, quality, ease-of-use, and economy. Rosen understands teens and meets them where they are. With its holistic and interactive approach and authority, teens will be comfortable and find comfort here. Libraries serious about serving teens must have this database. Teen Health & Wellness is simply the best teen resource available!"
—Shawna Thorup, Assistant Director, Fayetteville Public Library
“This resource will change lives.”
—Paula Busey, Head Librarian, ThunderRidge High School
“Rosen Publishing has long been a teen ally. This new [Teen] Health & Wellness offering speaks to teens in the digital language they prefer. By providing teens with instant access to accurate information, this database will save teens lives.”
—Laura Cleveland, Youth Services Librarian, Fayetteville Public Library
"I am so excited to be the lucky winner of a one-year subscription to Rosen Publishing's Teen Health & Wellness database! My staff is equally enthusiastic. When I notified them, several responded that they were eager to use this wonderful resource with their students. A biology teacher said that the site was great--she was looking for resources for a biology unit on MRSA, and that was the first topic she saw when she accessed the site. Our home and family living teachers told me that it would be a great resource for their study of everything from family life to nutrition to psychology. Some health and physical education teachers will use it as a first site for students to access when looking for information for their research papers. Thank you again, from me and from my staff, for this very useful gift."
—Peggy Nystrom, Librarian, Mariner High School, Everett, WA
"I can not even begin to describe to you how pleased I am that the Greenwood County Public Library will be able to offer the Teen Health & Wellness database to our teens. 'Wow' is a good start! Our library has recently looked at this service for our teens. Teens are often reluctant to speak to an adult about health issues, and this concerns us. To be able to provide this service now is an incredible opportunity. We pride ourselves on having an excellent materials collection. To be able to add the Teen Health & Wellness database is a welcome service. Thank you to Rosen Publishing for this amazing gift."
—Tracey Ouzts, Young Adult Librarian, Greenwood County Public Library
"When my students use Teen Health & Wellness they find the information they need simply and quickly, and have no interest in using Google. They love the database; our teachers love the database; and I couldn't be happier. Every school and library serving teenagers should subscribe. Excellent resource!"
—Cynthia M. Davis, School Library Media Specialist, East High School, Buffalo, NY
"“Teen Health & Wellness has been a great addition for Hononegah High School's library. Our health classes use this excellent resource several times each semester for research projects, and many other classes have found it useful too. The design of this database makes searching simple and the formatted source information on each page makes citing easy. Remote access is another feature that makes Teen Health & Wellness a resource that students want to access for both academic and personal information."
—Susan Bohn, Head Librarian, Hononegah High School, Rockton, IL
"The Westerly Public Library is thankful that Rosen is awarding us a free subscription to the Teen Health & Wellness database. We're excited to offer such an important tool to teens in a way that matches their online lives! We're confident that teens will find the database a private, convenient, and authoritative source for information geared to their needs. This is a gift that will benefit many people in our area and we're grateful to win such an amazing prize."
—Angel Ferria, YA Associate, Westerly Public Library & Wilcox Park, Westerly, RI
"Last night my 16 year old son was working on an assignment for his health class. He had to get 2 articles from the internet on a certain topic and then summarize and compare the content from each. He found one article quite quickly and then went to Teen Health & Wellness. He immediately found what he was looking for and was able to breeze through the assignment. He had to say which article he thought was better and he picked the Teen Health & Wellness article because it gave him better information. My son is a reluctant reader and he was able to use the Rosen Web site easily and with success."
—Donna Palmyra, Parent
"I am impressed with the amount of relevant information contained in Teen Health & Wellness. My students find the site very easy to use for research reports. I will continue to use Teen Health & Wellness for future assignments in my health classes, as well as background information for my lessons."
—David Nowak, PE/Health Teacher, Dundee-Crown High School
All information on Teen Health & Wellness is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. ® The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 2008. |
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