Healthcare databases

• Locating an appropriate database

  Searching healthcare databases is a good way of finding journal articles, conference papers and sometimes reports or book chapters on specific topics.  Access to some databases is via the NHS Evidence Health Information Resources though other healthcare databases are available.  Login with your NHS Athens username.  If you do not have one, you can register online. 

  Not sure where to start? Use the menus below to help you select appropriate databases to search for journal articles and other literature on your topic.
  
  If you're looking for evidence in the form of systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials, evidence synopses or guidelines click the links to the specific pages.

  What broad health area is your search in? Click a category below for detailed information on relevant databases. To change to another category, click "Locating an appropriate database" then reselect.

• Medicine and surgery

  Selected databases covering medical and surgical topics.

  MEDLINE	Medline is a large and comprehensive database covering all areas of medicine, including nursing, allied health and mental health journals. Access via NHS Athens account
  EMBASE	EMBASE is a comprehensive pharmacological and biomedical database indexing international journals in the fields of clinical medicine pharmacology, life sciences and forensic medicine Access via NHS Athens account
  AMED	Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED) covers alternatives to conventional medicine, as well as allied health topics like physiotherapy and speech therapy.  Access via NHS Athens account
  TOXNET	Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET) is a cluster of databases covering toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health and related areas. Access TOXNET (no password required)
  POPLINE	Population Information Online (POPLINE) –covers all aspects of reproductive health, including population studies, family planning and related health issues Access POPLINE (no password required)

  
  

• Nursing and midwifery

  Selected databases covering nursing and midwifery topics.  

  CINAHL	Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) covers all aspects of nursing and seventeen allied health disciplines.  Journals from biomedicine, alternative therapy, health sciences, librarianship, health promotion/education, and consumer health are also scanned for relevant articles. Access via NHS Athens account
  BNI	British Nursing Index (BNI) is a bibliographic database that indexes articles from the most popular English language nursing journals published primarily in the UK. BNI is a comprehensive index covering all aspects of nursing, midwifery and community healthcare Access via NHS Athens account
  POPLINE	Population Information Online (POPLINE) covers all aspects of reproductive health, including population studies, family planning and related health issues Access POPLINE (no password required)

• Allied health

  Selected databases covering allied health topics.  

  CINAHL	Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) covers all aspects of nursing and seventeen allied health disciplines.  Journals from biomedicine, alternative therapy, health sciences, health promotion/ education, & consumer health are also scanned for relevant articles. Access via NHS Athens account
  PEDro	Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) provides details of randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in physiotherapy.  Most trials have been rated for quality to aid identification of meaningful evidence. Access PEDro (no password required)
  AMED	Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED) covers alternatives to conventional medicine, as well as allied health topics like physiotherapy and speech therapy.  Access via NHS Athens account
  OT Seeker	OT Seeker contains abstracts of systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials relevant to occupational therapy.  Trials have been critically appraised and rated to assist evaluation of their validity and interpretability. These ratings help you judge the quality and usefulness of trials for informing clinical interventions Access OT SEEKER (no password required)
  Allied Health Evidence	This is a search tool that allows you to locate research across 4 databases at once: PEDro, OTseeker, SpeechBITE and PsycBITE. Access Allied Health Evidence (no password required)

• Mental health

  Selected databases covering allied health topics. 

  PsycINFO	PsycINFO includes citations for psychology and the psychological aspects of related disciplines, such as medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, education, pharmacology, physiology, linguistics, anthropology, business, and law. Access via NHS Athens account
  MEDLINE	Medline is a large and comprehensive database covering all areas of medicine, including nursing, allied health and mental health journals. Access via NHS Athens account
  VioLit	CSPV Violence Literature (VioLit) – This database includes abstracts and reference information for violence-related research. Access VioLit (no password required)

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• Social care

  Selected databases covering social care topics.  

  ASSIA	Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA) includes abstracts covering health and social services, psychology, sociology, economics, politics, race relations and education. Access via NHS Athens account
  Social Care Online	Social Care Online provides UK information on government and social policy, mental health care, families, children and young people, and social work. Access Social Care online (no password required)

  
  

• Healthcare management, improvement and community services

  Selected databases covering health management topics.  

  HMIC	Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC) –is a UK database containing journal articles, reports and official publications about health service management, administration and service delivery. Access via NHS Athens account
  ERIC	Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC) provides access to education literature to support the use of educational research and information to improve practice in learning, teaching, educational decision-making, and research. Access ERIC (no password required)
  TIN	The Improvement Network (TIN) –is a UK database of reports, official publications and some journal articles on primary care, public health and health management.  Also provides current awareness services. Access TIN

  
  

• University of Sheffield databases

  An honorary contract with the University is required to access their e-resources via MUSE.  Consultants and trainees in a ‘run through’ paediatric post working for Sheffield Children’s NHS FT are eligible.  Download instructions and an application form.  Visit the University of Sheffield electronic resources page for details of available resources.