What is The Cochrane Library World’s most comprehensive source for evidence-based health care...

The The Cochrane Cochrane LibraryLibrary

March 2005

What is The Cochrane LibraryWhat is The Cochrane Library

World’s most comprehensive source for evidence-based health care

Collection of high quality, E-B databasesProvides systematically derived, reliable

indications as to whether or not a particular treatment/intervention is more effective than another – considering side-effects, benefits

Click on Health

DB

Systematic ReviewsSystematic Reviews

Identifies an intervention for specific disease/problem

Determines whether/not intervention worksLocate, appraise, synthesise evidence from

as many studies as possibleSummarise conclusions, provide a collation

of evidence on the given topic

Systematic Reviews (2)Systematic Reviews (2)

Differ from other types of review:Adhere to strict design to make them more

comprehensiveMinimising chance of bias, ensuring

reliability

Searching Systematic Searching Systematic ReviewsReviews

MeSHSearch in TitleAdvanced Search

Mesh SearchMesh Search

Click on Thesaurus

Thesaurus: Controlled Thesaurus: Controlled terminologyterminology

Click on the word“Hypertension”

Mesh TreesMesh Trees

Click here to see what other terms you

may wish to use

Mesh TreeMesh Tree

Scroll to top of page : choose Scroll to top of page : choose term only OR Explode termterm only OR Explode term

Can also use “Qualifier” which links Can also use “Qualifier” which links to your main termto your main term

Comes back to this page with the correct term –

then click on Mesh trees

Click on “Go”

To Combine your termsTo Combine your terms

Click on “Search History”

Search HistorySearch History

Search ResultsSearch Results

Click on “Record”

Click on the links to go to Click on the links to go to browse sub-headings of articlebrowse sub-headings of article

GraphsGraphs

Full text article – Full text article – To Print Click on To Print Click on PDFPDF

Clinical EvidenceClinical Evidence

How Clinical Evidence is put How Clinical Evidence is put togethertogether

Selecting topics: common/important clinical conditions

Selecting questions: concerning the benefits/harms of preventative & therapeutic interventions

Searching, appraising the literature: Cochrane, Medline etc for systematic reviews

Summarise evidence, peer reviewed, edit to compile topics

Summary PageSummary Page

Presents the questions addressed, key messages and a list of interventions covered and categorised according to effectiveness