141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

289787
Systematic search methodologies

Saturday, November 2, 2013 : 1:15 PM - 2:30 PM

Joey Nicholson, MLIS MPH , NYU Health Sciences Libraries, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY
An integral part of conducting a systematic review is the formulation of extensive searches designed to collect as much existing literature as possible on the topic of interest. Collecting the literature on a topic is akin to enrolling participants for a clinical trial and should be done with just as much precision to help reduce bias. In this section of the course, participants will learn about how to select databases and other resources to search, including identifying what databases are useful for which topics and comparing the search capabilities and contents of different sources. Once appropriate databases are selected, participants will learn how to formulate detailed search strategies, define grey literature and identify appropriate sources, evaluate existing search filters and design new search filters, and describe the rationale behind conducting rigorous searches.

Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Public health or related education
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Differentiate among the many databases and assess which are the most appropriate databases to use. Describe the elements needed for an appropriate search strategy. Define grey literature and identify where to locate it. Explain where to find and how to use search filters.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been teaching a systematic review and meta-analysis course at NYU's School of Medicine for the past two years. As an instructor of the course, not only do I formally instruct students in appropriate methodology for conducting rigorous systematic reviews, but I also participate in formal systematic reviews for my institution.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.