An Update To An Indispensable Directory

Grey House Publishing has become a leader in collecting information and publishing these collections as directories for direct marketing, demographics, business, statistics, research, health care, international trade, the food industry, and education. The Lakeville (Conn.)-based company has now updated and released the fourth edition its Complete Directory for People with Chronic Illness.

First published in 1994, the chronic illness directory now numbers 1,047 pages and includes information on more than four score illnesses.

The directory provides a comprehensive overview of the support services and information resources available for people diagnosed with a chronic illness. It details the wide range of organizations, educational materials, books, newsletters, web sites, periodicals and databases that address over 80 specific chronic illnesses.

The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion broadly defines chronic disease as “illnesses that are prolonged, do not resolve spontaneously, and are rarely cured completely.” NCCDP is one of 11 centers within the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Until now, concerned individuals have had to rely on local health resource centers or libraries and organizations for information on their specific disease. Information from such sources can be strong in one area, weak in another, and can cause a lot of needless wasted time just in wading through papers. Not only that, but with chronic diseases, new information and research continues to be performed. People need to find out where new, reliable information can be located easiest.

With The Complete Directory for People with Chronic Illness, librarians, health resource centers, physicians, and social workers have a comprehensive information source. The directory helps make it possible for them to provide the critical and immediate information that is so necessary when helping patients and their families deal with the stress of chronic illness.

Patients and their families can then proceed in developing an informed support system that can help them deal with the impact such a diagnosis can have and give them the resources that will keep them informed about the latest research.

For the patient and family already dealing with a chronic illness, the directory can offer new sources of support and information.

The 80+ chronic illnesses that are addressed in this new directory were developed with the assistance of physicians and medical personnel, including associations specific to each chronic illness.

Each chronic condition has its own chapter and contains a brief description of the illness. The descriptions are followed by subchapters which include national associations and agencies, state associations and agencies, libraries, research centers, reference books, children’s books, magazines, newsletters, pamphlets, Web sites, support groups and hotlines, and videos. In addition, there is a chapter on “Death and Bereavement,” as well as one for the “Wish Foundations,” which help “wishes” come true for terminally or chronically ill children.

The inclusion of Web site information is a new feature of the updated directory. Also new this year are chapters on Addison’s Disease, Tay-Sachs Disease, and Wilson’s Disease.

Over 2,000 old or no longer usable listings were deleted in the process of updating the directory, and 4,000 fresh entries were added. The directory is designed not only to provide a comprehensive overview of the support services and information available, but to provide this information at anyone’s fingertips much easier than trying to locate such information on their own, even information off the Internet.

The revised edition was released in March 2000. Cost for the softcover version is $165 (ISBN 1-891482-16-5), and the hardcover (ISBN 1-891482-17-3) is available for $190.

The publisher realizes this book, while a highly effective tool, may very well be above the budget of many. For that reason, Grey House suggests people visit their local libraries to find out if the directory is available, and use the directory as a reference source at that location. If not, suggest it be added to the library’s inventory.

In addition to its Complete Directory for People with Chronic Illness, Grey House also publishes health-related directories concerning disabilities, mental health, older Americans, pediatric disorders, and rare disorders. The publisher is also a leading resource for business directories, with 11 titles available; statistics and demographics (seven titles), and three education directories.