scholarly journals An experimental search strategy retrieves more precise results than PubMed and Google for questions about medical interventions

PeerJ ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. e913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G. Badgett ◽  
Daniel P. Dylla ◽  
Susan D. Megison ◽  
E Glynn Harmon
Keyword(s):  
Search Strategy ◽  
Medical Interventions ◽  
Experimental Search

scholarly journals An experimental search strategy retrieves more precise results than PubMed and Google for questions about medical interventions

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G Badgett ◽  
Daniel P Dylla ◽  
Susan D Megison ◽  
E Glynn Harmon
Keyword(s):  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Alternative Strategies ◽  
Medical Interventions ◽  
Experimental Search ◽  
Experimental Strategy ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Search Precision ◽  
Clinical Queries

Objective: To compare the precision of a search strategy designed specifically to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews of RCTs with search strategies designed for broader purposes. Methods: We designed an experimental search strategy that automatically revised searches up to five times by using increasingly restrictive queries as long at least 50 citations were retrieved. We compared the ability of the experimental and alternative strategies to retrieve studies relevant to 312 test questions. The primary outcome, search precision, was defined for each strategy as the proportion of relevant, high quality citations among the first 50 citations retrieved. Results: The experimental strategy had the highest median precision (5.5%; interquartile range [IQR]: 0% - 12%) followed by the narrow strategy of the PubMed Clinical Queries (4.0%; IQR: 0% - 10%). The experimental strategy found the most high quality citations (median 2; IQR: 0 - 6) and was the strategy most likely to find at least one high quality citation (73% of searches; 95% confidence interval 68% - 78%). All comparisons were statistically significant. Conclusions: The experimental strategy performed the best in all outcomes although all strategies had low precision.

scholarly journals An experimental search strategy retrieves more precise results than PubMed and Google for questions about medical interventions

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G Badgett ◽  
Daniel P Dylla ◽  
Susan D Megison ◽  
E Glynn Harmon
Keyword(s):  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Alternative Strategies ◽  
Medical Interventions ◽  
Experimental Search ◽  
Experimental Strategy ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Search Precision ◽  
Clinical Queries

Objective: To compare the precision of a search strategy designed specifically to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews of RCTs with search strategies designed for broader purposes. Methods: We designed an experimental search strategy that automatically revised searches up to five times by using increasingly restrictive queries as long at least 50 citations were retrieved. We compared the ability of the experimental and alternative strategies to retrieve studies relevant to 312 test questions. The primary outcome, search precision, was defined for each strategy as the proportion of relevant, high quality citations among the first 50 citations retrieved. Results: The experimental strategy had the highest median precision (5.5%; interquartile range [IQR]: 0% - 12%) followed by the narrow strategy of the PubMed Clinical Queries (4.0%; IQR: 0% - 10%). The experimental strategy found the most high quality citations (median 2; IQR: 0 - 6) and was the strategy most likely to find at least one high quality citation (73% of searches; 95% confidence interval 68% - 78%). All comparisons were statistically significant. Conclusions: The experimental strategy performed the best in all outcomes although all strategies had low precision.

Vitamin D Deficiency/Insufficiency and Challenges in Developing Global Vitamin D Fortification and Supplementation Policy in Adults

2012 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 237-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moshe Ben-Shoshan
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Vitamin D Deficiency ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Epidemiologic Studies ◽  
Vitamin D Supplementation ◽  
Vitamin D Status ◽  
Societal Burden ◽  
Time Period ◽  
New Guidelines ◽  
In Cis

This review summarizes studies discussing vitamin D status in adults and reveals that vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is highly prevalent in adults and that current fortification and supplementation policies are inadequate. Background and aims: Studies suggest a crucial role for adequate vitamin D status in various health conditions including bone metabolism, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and allergies. However, relatively little is known about poor vitamin D status and unmet needs in adults. This report aims to highlight the contribution of epidemiologic studies (through the identification of health effects and societal burden) to the development of vitamin D fortification and supplementation policies and reveal unmet global challenges in adults. Methods: In order to assess worldwide vitamin D status in adults, the search strategy combined the medical literature database MEDLINE (using PubMed) for the time period between January 1, 1980 and February 28, 2011, using the key words “vitamin D” “deficiency” and “insufficiency”, and included articles in which access to full text was possible and in which healthy adults were assessed according to one of four commonly used vitamin D threshold classifications. Results: This report reveals that vitamin D deficiency occurs in 4.10 % [95 % CI (confidence interval), 3.93 %, 4.27 %] to 55.05 % (54.07 %, 56.03 %) of adults, while insufficiency occurs in 26.07 % (24.82 %, 27.33 %) to 78.50 % (77.85 %, 79.16 %), depending on the classification used. However, lack of overlap in CIs and high value of I2 statistics indicate considerable heterogeneity between studies. Further, certain populations (i. e. dark-skinned individuals, immigrants, and pregnant women) may be at higher risk for poor vitamin D status. Conclusion: Current policies for vitamin D supplementation and fortification are inadequate and new guidelines are required to improve vitamin D status in adults.

Gender-affirming medical interventions and mental health in transgender adults.

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin K. Tomita ◽  
Rylan J. Testa ◽  
Kimberly F. Balsam
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Interventions
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