What’s beyond the core? Database coverage in qualitative information reveal
Objective: This study investigates the effectiveness of bibliographic databases to retrieve qualitative studies for use in systematic and rapid reviews in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) research. Qualitative research is becoming more prevalent in reviews and health technology assessment, but st...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of the Medical Library Association |
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| Online Access: | http://jmla.pitt.edu/ojs/jmla/article/view/1591 |
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| _version_ | 1841536159055872000 |
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| author | Jennifer Horton David Kaunelis Danielle Rabb Andrea Smith |
| author_facet | Jennifer Horton David Kaunelis Danielle Rabb Andrea Smith |
| author_sort | Jennifer Horton |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Objective: This study investigates the effectiveness of bibliographic databases to retrieve qualitative studies for use in systematic and rapid reviews in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) research. Qualitative research is becoming more prevalent in reviews and health technology assessment, but standardized search methodologies—particularly regarding database selection—are still in development.
Methods: To determine how commonly used databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science) perform, a comprehensive list of relevant journal titles was compiled using InCites Journal Citation Reports and validated by qualitative researchers at Canada’s Drug Agency (formerly CADTH). This list was used to evaluate the qualitative holdings of each database, by calculating the percentage of total titles held in each database, as well as the number of unique titles per database.
Results: While publications on qualitative search methodology generally recommend subject-specific health databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO, this study found that multidisciplinary citation indexes Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection not only had the highest percentages of total titles held, but also a higher number of unique titles.
Conclusions: These indexes have potential utility in qualitative search strategies, if only for supplementing other database searches with unique records. This potential was investigated via tests on qualitative rapid review search strategies translated to Scopus to determine how the index may contribute relevant literature.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1cf029de8d244d518ccf63f41964f9ba |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1536-5050 1558-9439 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | University Library System, University of Pittsburgh |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of the Medical Library Association |
| spelling | doaj-art-1cf029de8d244d518ccf63f41964f9ba2025-01-14T23:39:32ZengUniversity Library System, University of PittsburghJournal of the Medical Library Association1536-50501558-94392025-01-01113110.5195/jmla.2025.1591What’s beyond the core? Database coverage in qualitative information revealJennifer Horton0David Kaunelis1Danielle Rabb2Andrea Smith3Medical Librarian, College of American PathologistsCDA-AMC (Canada’s Drug Agency)CDA-AMC (Canada’s Drug Agency)CDA-AMC (Canada’s Drug Agency) Objective: This study investigates the effectiveness of bibliographic databases to retrieve qualitative studies for use in systematic and rapid reviews in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) research. Qualitative research is becoming more prevalent in reviews and health technology assessment, but standardized search methodologies—particularly regarding database selection—are still in development. Methods: To determine how commonly used databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science) perform, a comprehensive list of relevant journal titles was compiled using InCites Journal Citation Reports and validated by qualitative researchers at Canada’s Drug Agency (formerly CADTH). This list was used to evaluate the qualitative holdings of each database, by calculating the percentage of total titles held in each database, as well as the number of unique titles per database. Results: While publications on qualitative search methodology generally recommend subject-specific health databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO, this study found that multidisciplinary citation indexes Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection not only had the highest percentages of total titles held, but also a higher number of unique titles. Conclusions: These indexes have potential utility in qualitative search strategies, if only for supplementing other database searches with unique records. This potential was investigated via tests on qualitative rapid review search strategies translated to Scopus to determine how the index may contribute relevant literature. http://jmla.pitt.edu/ojs/jmla/article/view/1591Information retrievalQualitative researchEvidence synthesisDatabase selection |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer Horton David Kaunelis Danielle Rabb Andrea Smith What’s beyond the core? Database coverage in qualitative information reveal Journal of the Medical Library Association Information retrieval Qualitative research Evidence synthesis Database selection |
| title | What’s beyond the core? Database coverage in qualitative information reveal |
| title_full | What’s beyond the core? Database coverage in qualitative information reveal |
| title_fullStr | What’s beyond the core? Database coverage in qualitative information reveal |
| title_full_unstemmed | What’s beyond the core? Database coverage in qualitative information reveal |
| title_short | What’s beyond the core? Database coverage in qualitative information reveal |
| title_sort | what s beyond the core database coverage in qualitative information reveal |
| topic | Information retrieval Qualitative research Evidence synthesis Database selection |
| url | http://jmla.pitt.edu/ojs/jmla/article/view/1591 |
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