Usenet newsgroups include a huge number of choices that have to do specifically with science. The service has always been like this, since its first days in 1981. Among the topics discussed quite actively on the Usenet system is the topic of health. You’ll find plenty of newsgroups dedicated to various ailments and, among those newsgroups specifically targeted at current events, you’ll find a lot of information about health issues that are in the news.
There are some very good newsgroups for basic health information. If you have a health issue, chances are that there are plenty of other Usenet users who share it. When you live with such a condition, it’s natural to want as much information as possible. A condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or arthritis is a natural topic for these groups. These conditions are serious, but a lot of their treatment involves maintaining certain lifestyle choices that lead to a higher quality of life. Many people on newsgroups share this information quite freely and you may find something on these groups that can help you out coping with your condition.
One of the advantages of a Usenet newsgroup is that, more often than not, you’ll find that the posters use better sources for their information. Online, there are vast marketing campaigns for plenty of alternative products, quite a few people who like to pretend they know things they don’t and precious few instances where forums and social networking sites manage to filter information for quality. Usenet is all about the users and, according to studies, Usenet users have a very low tolerance for bad information and tend to point it out rather quickly.
Make sure, however, that you do check the sources of the information that people provide. Oftentimes, they’ll provide a link in the article on the newsgroup. You can check out their sources and see if they seem legitimate to you. One of the coolest things about the Usenet service is that these links will be very unlikely to lead you to a camouflaged sales site and that people will actually encourage you to check them out, and to engage them with questions if you have them.
Usenet provides a nice safe harbor from the endless marketing and bad information found on the Internet. It’s very hard to “spam” the Usenet system, so you can be reasonably certainty that anyone who replies to your question was simply under the impression that they could help you out. This sense of community and, to an extent, accountability, makes this an excellent system.
If you’re looking for a source of information from your peers, the Usenet does have a lot to offer.