| 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 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
|
** |
|
- Simple text based searching.
- No subject headings.
- Can export to EndNote.
|
