Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Identifying relevant research evidence to inform decision-making in developing countries is not always straightforward. The recent programme of reviews commissioned by the UK Department for International Development offered an opportunity to evaluate search strategies for such a purpose. Analysing where the research studies they included were found is useful to inform search strategies in future reviews.
Objectives: To assess the utility of different search sources in identifying research for three rapid systematic reviews that concern public health interventions for women in developing countries. The studies in these reviews used controlled trials and other study designs.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the search source locations of the studies that were included in the three reviews. Review management software was used to determine how each study had been identified from the research literature, including those found in multiple locations. Comparisons were made for the search sources across the three reviews.
Results: A total of 34 studies were located across a range of international medical and social science bibliographic databases, specialised registers, and other sources. Over half, N = 19 (56%), were from one source only. For all reviews, handsearching websites and contact with authors contributed over a third of studies. Data is presented for each type of search source and for controlled trials and those of other study designs, for each review and collectively.
Conclusions: Information resources in this area are evolving. This analysis highlights challenges in identifying public health research applicable to developing countries. For the three reviews it was important to seek out regional and topic-specific sources, contact other researchers and handsearch websites, in addition to searching large international databases in the fields of medicine and social science.
Objectives: To assess the utility of different search sources in identifying research for three rapid systematic reviews that concern public health interventions for women in developing countries. The studies in these reviews used controlled trials and other study designs.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the search source locations of the studies that were included in the three reviews. Review management software was used to determine how each study had been identified from the research literature, including those found in multiple locations. Comparisons were made for the search sources across the three reviews.
Results: A total of 34 studies were located across a range of international medical and social science bibliographic databases, specialised registers, and other sources. Over half, N = 19 (56%), were from one source only. For all reviews, handsearching websites and contact with authors contributed over a third of studies. Data is presented for each type of search source and for controlled trials and those of other study designs, for each review and collectively.
Conclusions: Information resources in this area are evolving. This analysis highlights challenges in identifying public health research applicable to developing countries. For the three reviews it was important to seek out regional and topic-specific sources, contact other researchers and handsearch websites, in addition to searching large international databases in the fields of medicine and social science.