Bibliographic databases and evidence sources - Quick Guide

This is a quick guide to selected health-related bibliographic databases and evidence sources, intended to support knowledge skills training sessions.

Key sources

Core databases*:​

•Medline​

Contains article references and abstracts for all aspects of biomedical and life sciences topics, including nursing. Information is indexed from approximately 5,600 journals published world-wide.

•Embase​

European version of Medline.  Contains conference abstracts and article references and abstracts from more than 8,500 journals published world-wide. Especially strong in its coverage of drug and pharmaceutical research, pharmacology and toxicology

•Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews​

This database contains over 6300 systematic reviews and more than 2300 protocols dating from 1996. The CDSR includes all Cochrane Reviews (and protocols) prepared by Cochrane Review Groups. Each Cochrane Review is a systematic review that has been prepared and supervised by a Cochrane Review Group (editorial team). 

•Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials

A register of controlled clinical trials incorporating records from multiple databases (principally Medline and Embase) as well as unpublished trial reports. Includes over 700,000 records dating from 1898.

 *According to: Developing NICE Guidelines: The Manual 2014; Cochrane Handbook v5.1 2011 

Subject-specific databases:

•CINAHL (nursing & allied health​)

Covers a wide range of topics including nursing, biomedicine, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health and allied health disciplines such as physiotherapy. The records include a range of publication types in addition to journal abstracts and references.

•MIDIRS (maternity & infant care)​

Resource for academics and healthcare professionals involved in the care of women and infants. Contains bibliographic references from English language journals, books, guidelines and grey literature relating to the midwifery profession, pregnancy, labor, birth, postnatal care, infant feeding and neonatal care up to the second year of an infant’s life, and the transition to parenthood.

•PsycInfo (mental health)​

Abstracts of articles and book chapters on behavioural sciences, psychology and mental health, and psychological aspects of related disciplines, such as management and learning.

•ASSIA (social sciences)​

References and abstracts from over 500 journals on health, social services, psychology, sociology, economics, politics, race relations and education. 

•Proquest Public Health

Provides access to over 800 publications with over 500 in full-text including journals, news, trade publications, reports. Covers a wide variety of disciplines ranging from social sciences and biological sciences to business.

Additional sources

Bibliographic databases:​

•Epistemonikos (systematic reviews)​

See separate QUEST article.

•TRIP​

Clinical search engine designed to allow users to quickly and easily find and use high-quality research evidence to support their practice and/or care. Sources searched include systematic reviews sources, guidelines, evidence summaries, ongoing reviews and trials, clinical trials via PubMed and key journals and patient information.

•Google Scholar ​

Provides access to scholarly references, primarily journal article abstracts, but also conference proceedings and papers, and theses.  Use ‘conference’ as a keyword when searching for conferences.

•Web of Science (via National Library of Scotland)​

 All those living/working in Scotland can register as users of the NLS and gain access to this database of searchable, cited references and sources of data on research quality. It can be used to trace the sources which have cited a reference thus expanding search options, and provides a source of citation data which can be used as a measure of article quality and impact. Covers over 10,000 high-impact journals in the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, plus over 120,000 international conference proceedings.

Other sources:​

•Library catalogues ​

The print resources held within libraries across NHS Scotland can be searched from The Knowledge Network's single search portal and items requested to be sent to the site of your choice. Books and reports not found by this means can be ordered for loan and all UK publications and many international ones can be obtained this way.

•Google​

Consider using Google for material not published within journals or in book form - e.g. organisational reports, local clinical service studies.

•HealthTalk (patient stories)​

Information for patients and carers on health conditions including e.g. what to expect at appointments and in hospital, with videos of patients explaining their experiences.

•Clinical Trials registries (e.g. WHO ICTRP)