Research Guides: Systematic Reviews: 2. Select Databases

Selecting Databases Introduction

Selecting Databases

Librarians can recommend databases to search in a systematic review. The databases you choose will depend on your research question and the disciplines in which relevant research may be conducted. Below is some guidance for choosing scholarly databases in a number of research areas. Check the library database listings on the library home page for a full list of available sources across all disciplines.

Every database works differently. Librarians can help with designing complex searches using the specialized syntax of individual databases and 'translate' searches between databases.

Note that these databases largely focus on the published, peer-reviewed literature. For guidance and resources for searching other types of information (i.e., gray literature), see the next tab in this guide.

Databases for Scholarly Literature

MEDLINE Ultimate
MEDLINE is one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date bibliographic databases of life sciences and biomedical information. It is searchable in the EBSCO platform.
MEDLINE via PubMed
MEDLINE is one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date bibliographic databases of life sciences and biomedical information. It is compiled by the US National Library of Medicine. It is searchable via PubMed, which includes MEDLINE as well as additional literature, non-indexed literature in biomedicine.
CINAHL
A premier database for the literature in nursing and allied health. It provides some unique methodological indexing terms for qualitative research not found in MEDLINE.
PEDro
Free database of randomised (randomized) trials (RCTs), systematic reviews and practice guidelines for evidence-based physiotherapy or physical therapy.
NARIC - National Rehabilitation Information Center
Documents covering physical, mental, and psychiatric disabilities, independent living, vocational rehabilitation, special education, assistive technology, law, employment, and other issues as they relate to people with disabilities.
OT Seeker
Contains abstracts of systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and other resources relevant to occupational therapy
TRIP Database
A searchable clinical research evidence library--allows searching by PICO.
POPLINE
The world's largest bibliographic reproductive health database. POPLINE provides citations with abstracts of the worldwide literature in the field of population, family planning, and related health issues. This database will retire on September 1, 2019.

Epistemonikos
An evidence library for those making decisions in health care and health policy.
Health Systems Evidence
"Free access point for evidence to support researchers interested in how to strengthen or reform health systems."
PDQ-Evidence
PDQ (“pretty darn quick”) - Evidence facilitates rapid access to the best available evidence for decisions about health systems.
3iE Database
International Initiative for Impact Evaluations: for researchers who are looking for evidence on what works, what doesn’t, and what's in development. Includes systematic reviews, briefs, and evidence gap maps.

PsycINFO
Contains citations and summaries of the international literature in psychology and related behavioral and social sciences, including psychiatry, sociology, anthropology, education, pharmacology, and linguistics.
ProQuest Psychology
ProQuest Psychology Journals provides abstracts and indexing for more than 650 titles, with over 540 titles available in full text. This collection encompasses a wide range of topics from leading psychology and psychosomatic publications. In addition to clinical and social psychology, it also provides coverage of related disciplines including genetics, psychology of business and economics, communication, criminology, addiction, neurology, social welfare, and more.
AgeLine
AgeLine focuses exclusively on the population aged 50+ and issues of aging. AgeLine is the premier source for the literature of social gerontology and includes aging-related content from the health sciences, psychology, sociology, social work, economics, and public policy.
ERIC
ERIC is a digital library of free education-related sources of interest to educators, researchers, and the general public.
Sociology Source Ultimate
Offers comprehensive coverage of sociology, encompassing all sub-disciplines and closely related areas of study. These include abortion, criminology & criminal justice, demography, ethnic & racial studies, gender studies, marriage & family, political sociology, religion, rural & urban sociology, social development, social psychology, social structure, social work, socio-cultural anthropology, sociological history, sociological research, sociological theory, substance abuse & other addictions, violence, and many others.
ProQuest Social Science
Covering all areas of social sciences including international literature in politics, public policy, sociology, social work, anthropology, criminology, linguistics, library science, and education.

EconLit
Covers economic theory and history, fiscal theory, econometrics, agricultural economics, public finance, demography, monetary theory, international economics and others.
ABI/Inform
ABI/Inform is an extensive international business and management database, containing bibliographic citations, abstracts, and full text of articles.
Business Source Complete
Provides full text for scholarly business journals and a variety of other sources. Coverage includes virtually all subject areas related to business. Coverage dates as far back as 1922.

Health Sciences Spanish Bibliographic Index (IBECS)
Produced by the National Health Sciences Library of Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) of Spain's Ministry of Health, Social Policy, and Equality.
LILACS
LILACS is the most important and comprehensive index of scientific and technical literature of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Virtual Health Library
Find more sources for Latin America and the Caribbean here.
Native Health Database
"The Native Health Database contains bibliographic information and abstracts of health-related articles, reports, surveys, and other resource documents pertaining to the health and health care of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Canadian First Nations. The database provides information for the benefit, use, and education of organizations and individuals with an interest in health-related issues, programs, and initiatives regarding North American indigenous peoples."
African Index Medicus
The WHO, in collaboration with the Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa (AHILA), produces this international index to African health literature and information sources.
Western Pacific Region Index Medicus (WPRIM)
Medical and health journals index. Project of the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office in collaboration with several institutions in its Member States.
China Academic Journals (CNKI)
Citation database of Chinese journals published in China. The journals are categorized under ten series, which include topics in medicine & public health (Series E) (make sure the box for Series E is checked when you search this).
Scholarly Academic Information Navigator (CiNii)
A database with a Japan focus that can be used to search information on academic articles published in academic society journals, university research bulletins, or articles included in the National Diet Library's Japanese Periodicals Index Database and databases.
Index Medicus for the South-East Asian Region (IMSEAR)
Database of articles published in journals within the WHO South-East Asia Region. It is a collaborative effort of participating libraries in the Health Literature, Library and Information Services (HELLIS) network.
Index Medicus for the Eastern Mediterranean Region (IMEMR)
Database of health literature produced in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. One of the major projects of the WHO's Virtual Health Sciences Library, initiated in response to a need to index health and biomedical journals from the Region.