Overview

Alt HealthWatch (AHW) is a full‑text database from EBSCO focused on complementary, holistic, and integrative approaches to health and wellness. Content includes journals and magazines, newsletters, reports, pamphlets, book excerpts, and other materials covering alternative and complementary medicine (CAM). AHW is best for scanning CAM perspectives and obtaining accessible full‑text articles across a variety of formats. Because source rigor varies, users should critically appraise individual items—especially on clinical or safety‑sensitive topics.

Snapshot Metrics

• Focus: complementary, holistic, and integrative health topics (CAM).
• Content types: journals & magazines, newsletters, reports, pamphlets, book excerpts (substantial full text).
• Scale: more than ~180 periodicals represented across international sources.
• Typical coverage: indexing since the 1980s (often 1984) with full text for many titles from the 1990s (often 1990) onward (varies by title).
• Platform features: EBSCO interface—Boolean operators, subject headings, limiters (date, peer‑review, source type), and full‑text search.

Strengths

• Specialized scope for CAM topics; convenient single stop for alternative and complementary health literature.
• Substantial full‑text availability for immediate reading and classroom use.
• Familiar EBSCO platform with robust search filters and subject indexing.
• Broad topical spread (herbal medicine, naturopathy, acupuncture, mind‑body, integrative wellness).

Limitations & Cautions

• Mixed rigor across sources (consumer/trade + practitioner + academic). Not all items are peer‑reviewed or evidence‑based.
• Independent reviews have noted that results for contentious clinical topics (e.g., vaccine safety) can surface items that do not align with mainstream scientific consensus.
• Relevancy ranking and currency vary by title; verify publication dates and prefer higher‑quality evidence where stakes are high.

Audience Fit — When to Use

• Students and instructors exploring CAM topics who need accessible full‑text reading.
• Practitioners and learners seeking a broad scan of CAM perspectives across multiple formats.
• General/consumer health programming and wellness outreach where magazines, newsletters, and reports are valuable.

When Not to Rely on AHW Alone

• High‑rigor clinical questions requiring randomized trials, systematic reviews, or evidence grading.
• Safety‑critical work (e.g., supplement–drug interactions, pregnancy/lactation safety) without corroboration from evidence‑based tools.

Recommended Companion Resources (for Evidence and Clinical Safety)

• PubMed/MEDLINE — biomedical core literature and clinical trials.

Quick Compare: Alt HealthWatch vs. Natural Medicines

Recommendations for South Dakota Mines (Devereaux Library)

• Retain Alt HealthWatch to support CAM breadth and full‑text access across formats.
• In research guides and instruction, add a cautionary note encouraging source appraisal and cross‑verification.
• For assignments requiring high‑level evidence, direct users first to PubMed/MEDLINE
• Include the Library Catalog (Primo) for locating books/e‑books on integrative health and evidence appraisal methods.

Practical Tips for Users

• Use the Peer‑Reviewed limiter and set a recent Date Range when searching clinical topics.
• Scan the journal/source type; prefer academic or practitioner journals when evidence quality matters.
• Triangulate claims by checking Natural Medicines (for supplements/therapies) or PubMed/Cochrane for systematic reviews.
• When in doubt, ask a librarian for help evaluating sources.

Holdings & Coverage Lists

EBSCO provides coverage/title lists (HTML/PDF/XLS) for Alt HealthWatch so faculty can verify journal inclusion, date ranges, and embargo details. Consult these lists when preparing syllabi or linking readings.

Notes

This evaluation synthesizes vendor‑supplied information (EBSCO Alt HealthWatch product page and coverage lists) and independent commentary regarding evidence alignment. Always corroborate high‑stakes clinical claims with evidence‑based sources.

Ask Digby – Library Help

Need help evaluating sources or accessing databases? Ask Digby, the Devereaux Library’s helpful prairie dog mascot! Digby can guide you through off‑campus access, citation tools, and choosing the right databases for your topic.

📧 Email: library@sdsmt.edu
🌐 Chat: Ask Digby
🔗 Library Catalog (Primo): https://sdsmt.primo.exlibrisgroup.com
📍 Devereaux Library, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD