LibGuides: Literature searching: Choosing a database

Top tips: choosing a database

For any health related topic:

Ovid Medline

If you need a bit more, but not exhaustive searching:

Ovid Medline; PLUS
one or more databases focused on your topic eg
- mental health: APA PsycInfo
- nursing and allied health: Emcare and/or CINAHL
- pharmacology: Embase

For systematic reviews and extensive literature reviews:

Ovid Medline; PLUS
Ovid Embase; PLUS
Ovid Emcare; PLUS
APA PsycInfo; PLUS
CINAHL; PLUS
Cochrane Library

Database content - broader than you think

Keep in mind that the specialty area of a database is very broad, and it indicates the types of journals indexed rather than the specific content. For example a nursing and allied health database will still include articles on general medicine, psychology and radiology which are published in nursing and allied health journals. Likewise, there are many nursing related topics in Medline and PsycINFO. Medline and Embase cover an extremely wide range of topics.

Summary of key bibliographic health databases

The following diagram shows the type of content, and a rough idea of the overlap, of key databases. It demonstrates the need for multiple databases to be included in a comprehensive literature search, but it does not attempt to be exact or exhaustive. Databases change constantly and there are many layers of duplication.

Summary: Bibliographic databases

Database	Platform	Content	Usability	Recommended use	Comments
Medline ALL	Ovid	Biomedical, clinical sciences, general health US database, includes international journals	*****	If you only search one database make it this one Key database - all purpose General health and medical topics - also includes nursing, allied health, mental health Essential for systematic reviews - search strategy should be finalised in Medline before translating to other databases	Content of Medline ALL is the same as PubMed - no need to search both Uses MeSH subject headings
Embase	Ovid	Biomedicala and general health Pharmacology focus European database, includes international journals	****	Key database with a European focus - all purpose Pharmaceuticals are a strength General health and medical topics - also includes nursing, allied health, mental health Essential for systematic reviews	Highly detailed indexing with many subject headings for minor topics, so may return high number of results - consider focusing subject headings if relevance is low Uses Emtree subject headings Said to include all Medline content as well, but different records are retrieved so it does not replace a Medline search
Emcare	Ovid	Nursing and allied health European database connected to Embase, includes international journals	****	Indexes nursing and allied health journals with broad range of health related content Systematic reviews	Uses Emtree subject headings
APA PsycInfo	Ovid	Mental health and behavioural sciences	****	Mental health, psychology, psychiatry Systematic reviews	Uses PsycInfo subject headings
CINAHL	EBSCOhost	Nursing and allied health	***	nursing and allied health Systematic reviews	Different syntax (commands) to Ovid databases Uses CINAHL subject headings Search history defaults in reverse order
Cochrane Library	Wiley	Systematic reviews, trials	**	Essential for systematic reviews	Syntax (commands) can be tricky and are best translated from an Ovid Medline search using the Polyglot Search Translator Uses MeSH subject headings, but they look different to Ovid Medline
PubMed	NLM	Biomedical, clinical sciences, general health US database, includes international journals	**	If you are already comfortable with PubMed - otherwise Ovid Medline ALL provides the same content with a more structured and consistent interface Free access without a subscription Either Medline ALL or PubMed should be searched for a systematic review	Content is same as Medline ALL - there is no need to search both Free, public access database Uses MeSH subject headings Search guidance for this platform not currently available through our library
Ovid Nursing	Ovid	Nursing	**	Nursing content, but duplicated in other databases so not essential	Better topic coverage of nursing literature available through Ovid Emcare and CINAHL Some issues with quality of records and export to EndNote
Informit Health Collection	RMIT	small Australian and New Zealand health database some indigenous content	**	Indigenous health	Simple text based searching. No subject headings. Can export to EndNote.

Guide Author

Helen Wilding, Senior Research Librarian

Carl de Gruchy Library, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne
Helen.Wilding@svha.org.au

Literature Searching, Systematic Reviews, Mental Health liaison
Thursdays, Fridays & alternate Wednesdays
Helen's profile | Researchgate | Orcid