Online information retrieval in pharmacy and related fields

Area of Science:

• Information Science
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Traditional manual literature searching presents challenges in efficiency and scope for pharmacists.
• The increasing volume of scientific literature necessitates advanced information retrieval methods.
• Online information retrieval offers a potential solution for accessing pharmacy-related data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe online information retrieval methods applicable to pharmacy and related fields.
• To guide pharmacists in determining the suitability and process of conducting online searches.
• To profile various online databases and search services relevant to pharmaceutical research.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of factors influencing the decision to perform an online search.
• Explanation of search preparation, including vocabulary, citation identification, and database selection.
• Illustration of search strategies using MEDLINE and IPA (International Pharmaceutical Abstracts).

Main Results:

• Online database searching is presented as a cost-efficient and flexible alternative to manual searching for pharmacists.
• Various types of databases are profiled, including bibliographic, general-interest, full-text, and numeric databases.
• End-user searching is identified as a growing trend, alongside the increasing availability of full-text databases.

Conclusions:

• Online searching provides a valuable and adaptable tool for pharmacists needing to access scientific literature.
• The trend towards end-user searching empowers pharmacists to conduct their own information retrieval.
• The expanding availability of diverse online databases enhances the utility of this search method.