Searching the MEDLARS file for information on the elderly

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Health Informatics
• Information Science

Background:

• The increasing elderly population in the U.S. presents significant challenges for the healthcare system.
• The Veterans Administration (VA) established Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (GRECCs) to address these challenges.
• Effective information retrieval is crucial for geriatric care, research, and education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe methodologies for searching National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases for geriatric information.
• To explicate key terms and definitions within the field of geriatrics.
• To provide guidance on online search strategies and database comparisons relevant to geriatrics.

Main Methods:

• Participation of the Wadsworth VA Medical Center library in the VA GRECC program.
• Development of specific search methodologies tailored for geriatric information retrieval.
• Review and comparison of various NLM databases for their relevance to geriatrics.

Main Results:

• Established methodologies for effectively searching NLM databases for geriatric-related content.
• Clarification of essential geriatric terms and definitions.
• Demonstration of sample search requests and online strategies.

Conclusions:

• The developed methodologies enhance access to vital geriatric information within NLM databases.
• Improved information retrieval supports geriatric research, education, and clinical practice.
• This work provides a valuable resource for healthcare professionals and researchers focused on the elderly population.