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Searching for information on outcomes: do you need to be comprehensive?
A J Brettle1, A F Long, M J Grant
1Health Care Practice Research and Development Unit, University of Salford, UK. A.Brettle@health-faculty.salford.ac.uk
Quality in Health Care : QHC
|August 5, 1998
Summary
Efficiently searching medical databases like MEDLINE is crucial for evidence-based practice. This paper details effective search strategies to retrieve relevant information, avoiding common pitfalls of missing key papers or information overload.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Information Science
- Health Sciences
Background:
- Evidence-based practice and clinical effectiveness depend on high-quality, current information.
- Computerized databases, such as MEDLINE, are vital for accessing up-to-date clinical information.
- Information professionals and clinicians rely on these databases for timely data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present effective search strategies for the MEDLINE database.
- To address common challenges in database searching, including information retrieval and relevance.
- To enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of information locating for health professionals.
Main Methods:
- The paper outlines a range of search strategies applicable to MEDLINE.
- Focuses on techniques to improve the precision and recall of search results.
- Discusses methods for managing search output to ensure relevance.
Main Results:
- Implementation of presented strategies can lead to more efficient information retrieval.
- Users can avoid common search problems like missing relevant articles or excessive results.
- Improved search techniques facilitate better access to current medical literature.
Conclusions:
- Effective search strategies are essential for optimizing the use of MEDLINE.
- These strategies support evidence-based practice by ensuring access to relevant, high-quality information.
- Health service and information professionals can benefit significantly from mastering these search techniques.