NIH's redesigned, relaunched Web site has info for all, while it focuses on child health

The section of the National Institutes of Health that conducts and supports research on human development, medical rehabilitation, and the health of children, adults, families, and communities, has launched its redesigned Web site with your need and interests in mind. The new National Institute of Child Health and Human Development site, http://www.nichd.nih.gov, provides easy access to information for clinicians and for researchers, patients, and the general public.

The NICHD's site has undergone major changes in content, navigational features, and design. One feature is an A-to-Z topics list that offers information on health conditions, disorders, programs, and topics-from autism to endometriosis to gestational diabetes to reading disabilities. The site also links to corresponding NICHD publications and materials.

"The new site provides fast and easy access to a wide array of information, from child health, to developmental disorders, to women's health, to basic and clinical research," said Duane Alexander, MD, director of the NICHD. "This site is useful not only to people who need health information; it's also a tool for scientists who need research information."

At the site, users will also find links to clinical trials and the Institute's public education campaigns, including "Back to Sleep" (to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome), "Milk Matters" (about the importance of getting enough calcium during pre-teenage and teenage years), and "Media Smart Youth" (teaching young people to evaluate media messages about nutrition and physical activity).

Scientists coming to the NICHD Web site find extensive information on the Institute's research components and supported projects. Through a directory that is searchable by specialty, researchers and potential grantees are able to find program staff and scientists who share their research interests. Scientists seeking financial support for their research projects or training have access to information tailored to their level of familiarity with the federal funding process or to the stage of their research career.