The Cochrane Library - Full Guide

Transcription

1 The Cochrane Library - Full Guide What is the Cochrane Library? The Cochrane Library is the most authoritative and up to date source of evidence based information and can help clinicians make decisions about appropriate and effective health care. It brings together in one place research which looks at the effectiveness of different health care treatments and interventions. Why is Cochrane information good quality? The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews provides an excellent source of good quality systematic reviews which are considered the gold standard of evidence based information. All literature is critically appraised, and only studies that meet certain quality targets is included. Cochrane contacts universities directly for unpublished trials this information could be missed out in other databases. The information is unbiased as it is not sponsored by drug companies. The Cochrane Databases The Cochrane Library is made up of seven databases which include: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Cochrane Reviews) This is the Cochrane database that is best known. This database contains systematic reviews, mainly made up of randomized controlled trials, that evaluate the effectiveness of different types of healthcare interventions. These systematic reviews are intended to help health professionals make evidencebased decisions about the interventions used in health care. Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (Other Reviews) Contains abstracts of non Cochrane systematic reviews, and provides a critical appraisal of them. Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Clinical Trials) Contains details of published articles from bibliographic databases. This includes the article citation, and usually the abstract too. There is some overlap in the information contained here with Medline and Embase. Cochrane Database of Methodology Reviews (Methods Reviews) A full text database of systematic reviews of empirical methodological studies that have been put together by Cochrane. Cochrane Methodology Register (Methods Studies) Contains bibliographic details of literature that reports on methods used when doing clinical trials.

2 Health Technology Assessment Database Contains literature that helps to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of health care interventions. These studies measure the medical, social, ethical and economic aspects of these interventions. NHS Economic Evaluation Database (Economic Evaluations) Contains economic evaluations of health care interventions from around the world, to help make cost effective health care decisions. Cochrane Search Example Search Question: Is psychotherapy effective for panic disorder? Example of how to do a comprehensive search on Cochrane. (For easy searches, please use the Cochrane Quick Guide. ) 1. Getting into the Cochrane Library The Cochrane library can be accessed from anywhere with Internet access. No password is required to search the Cochrane Library databases. Type into the address bar of your Internet browser to get into The Cochrane Library. 2. Typing in keywords Type in your first keyword in the box on the top right hand side of the screen. In this example it is panic. Choose to search in the Title, Abstract or Keywords field by using the dropdown list to the right. (This selection may already be selected). Then click on the Go button.

3 3. Doing a MeSH search Next click on the MeSH Search link to do a MeSH search for this keyword as well. (This is like a subject heading where indexers have indexed all documents about a particular topic with a relevant MeSH tag). Type panic in the Mesh Search box and click on Thesaurus Select the appropriate Mesh descriptor by clicking on it. In this case, it is panic disorder The Mesh term that you selected will become highlighted in red. Click on the View Results button to proceed.

4 Next, click on the Search History link at the top of the page Search History Handy Tip! If search steps don t seem to be appearing in your search history, click on the Refresh button at the top of your screen to make them appear. Type #1 or #2 into the search bar to combine your panic searches together. Then click on the Go button. You should now have three searches in your search history. Repeat the above search steps for the psychotherapy search term. (Do a title, abstract, keywords search, and then a Mesh search for this keyword, then combine the psychotherapy search steps together with an OR).

5 4. Combining keywords When you have combined your two psychotherapy searches together by typing in #4 or #5, you are now ready to combine the panic disorder results with the psychotherapy results to make sure each document retrieved contains both these subjects in it. To do this, type #3 and #6 into your search bar. Then click on the Go button.

6 5. Viewing search results Then click on the #3 and #6 link in your search history (it is a link in itself) to view your search results. The database you are currently in will be highlighted in black bold font at the top of the screen. For example, the screen below is displaying the results in the Cochrane Reviews database. Click on other databases (listed horizontally) to view documents in them. If you click on the record link, you will be able to read the document. The R symbol by a document means that it is a full Cochrane review, and the lighter blue P symbol by a document means that it is just a protocol.

7 Once you have clicked on the record link, you can click on the links on the left hand side to jump straight to certain sections such as objectives, discussion, or authors conclusions. Click on the PDF link in the left hand margin to view the entire document on continuous pages. For further information and interactive training on the Cochrane databases, please contact your local BSMHfT library. A regular programme of training courses is available, and dates can be viewed on the Trust Training Database on the Intranet. These courses are hands on and provide an opportunity to improve literature searching skills in a supportive, interactive environment. Barberry Library Northcroft Library Reaside Library