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PBHL-S415 Applied Health Promotion Methods

Databases to Find Scholarly Articles on Programs

Search Strategies for Finding Programs in Library Databases

This video will show you how to search multiple library databases at once to find evidence-based programs on your topic.

Public health information tends to be multi-disciplinary, meaning you'll often need to search several databases geared toward different disciplines. For example, if you are designing a program to educate families about the signs and symptoms of depression, you may end up searching PubMed or Medline (biomedical), PsycINFO (psychology), ERIC (education), and Family Studies Abstracts (sociology). 

 

Remember to use Boolean to connect your terms.

Using AND will retrieve fewer results (heart attacks AND aspirin). Using OR will retrieve more results (poverty or low income). NOT will exclude unwanted terms (substance abuse NOT cigarettes).

Note that the website looks different in this video, but the searching process is the same.

Tips for finding scholarly articles on programs:

 

When you are searching any programs that address a particular population or issue:

  • Use advanced search. Use 1 line to add terms related to population, 1 line for targeted outcomes or strategy, and 1 line using these programs/interventions terms: program* or intervention* or trial* or initiative* or policy
  • The more lines/concepts you add to your search, the narrower it will become.
  • Use 'OR' to connect synonyms.
  • Search for systematic reviews that summarize and synthesize evidence for programs addressing particular conditions or populations. Use the reference list to identify articles about particular programs.

 

For African American or Black mothers, what are effective programs or interventions that prevent stillbirths or infant mortality?

Shows advanced search in EBSCO. The first line is (african americans or black women or black mothers). The second line is stillbirth or infant mortality or infant death. The third line is program* or intervention* or trial* or initiative* or policy. This search retrieved 713 results.

This search is looking for programs using home visiting as a strategy:

This shows advanced search in EBSCO. The first line is african americans or black women or black mothers. The second line is home visit* or house calls or nurse visit*. The third line is stillbirth or infant mortality or infant death. The fourth line is program* or intervention* or trial* or initiative* or policy. This search retrieved 25 results.