Dataset Information

The best of the UK? A report on the value and future of UK databases in the health and social care fields: a systematic map protocol.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

This protocol covers the first part of a two-part project funded by the Health Libraries Group and the University Health and Medical Librarians Group. It details the proposed methodology for a systematic map of the literature relating to UK bibliographic databases in the fields of health and social care. The aim of this mapping exercise is to consider ways in which UK bibliographic databases are described, considered and discussed in the published and unpublished literature. In doing so, we hope to gain a clearer sense of the ways in which UK bibliographic databases are used and viewed by the research community. It also enables the identification of any gaps in the literature for further research and discussion. This topic is important because UK databases are generally underused by researchers in the UK context and some databases are at risk of closure. A lack of access to UK databases means that researchers may miss relevant UK evidence when identifying an evidence base.

Method

Systematic Map.

Analysis

The authors will present a narrative description of the literature relating to UK bibliographic databases in the fields of health and social care. They will use tables to present descriptive information about the literature (eg, frequency tables) and use cross-tabulations to demonstrate intersecting themes. Separately, guidance on how to use the resources (eg, areas of unique content, updating frequencies, unique truncation symbols) will be sought from stakeholders and reported alongside the report narrative as a guide to usage.

SUBMITTER: Cooper C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3367155 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

The best of the UK? A report on the value and future of UK databases in the health and social care fields: a systematic map protocol.

Cooper Chris C O'Mara-Eves Alison A Rogers Morwenna M Bethel Alison A Lowe Jenny J Crathorne Louise L Gomersall Alan A

BMJ open 20120531 3

<h4>Introduction</h4>This protocol covers the first part of a two-part project funded by the Health Libraries Group and the University Health and Medical Librarians Group. It details the proposed methodology for a systematic map of the literature relating to UK bibliographic databases in the fields of health and social care. The aim of this mapping exercise is to consider ways in which UK bibliographic databases are described, considered and discussed in the published and unpublished literature. ...[more]

PMID: 22654093

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundUsing evidence-based interventions (EBIs) is a basic premise of contemporary social services (e.g., child and family social services). However, EBIs seldom fit seamlessly into a specific setting but often need to be adapted. Although some adaptions might be necessary, they can cause interventions to be less effective or even unsafe. The challenge of balancing adherence and adaptations when using EBIs is often referred to as the adherence and adaptation dilemma. Although the current literature identifies professionals' management of this dilemma as problematic, it offers little practical guidance for professionals. This research aims to investigate how the adherence and adaptation dilemma is handled in social services and to explore how structured decision support can impact the management of the dilemma.MethodsThe design is a prospective, longitudinal intervention with a focus on the feasibility and usefulness of the structured decision support. The project is a collaboration between academic researchers, embedded researchers at three research and development units, and social service organizations. A multi-method data collection will be employed. Initially, a scoping review will be performed, and the results will be used in the development of a structured decision support. The decision support will be further developed and tested during a series of workshops with social service professionals. Different forms of data-focus group interviews, questionnaires, and documentation-will be used on several occasions to evaluate the impact of the structured decision support. Qualitative and quantitative analysis will be performed and usefulness for practice prioritized throughout the study.DiscussionThe study will contribute with knowledge on how the adherence and adaption dilemma is handled and experienced by social service professionals. Most importantly, the study will generate rich empirical data on how a structured decision support impacts professionals' management of adherence and adaptions. The goal is to produce more strategic and context-sensitive implementation of EBIs in social service, which will increase value for service users.

Project description:OBJECTIVES:To develop an appropriate method of assessing visual field (VF) loss which reflects its functional consequences, this study aims to determine which method(s) of assessing VF best reflect mobility difficulty. SETTING:This cross-sectional observational study took place within a single primary care setting. Participants attended a single session at a University Eye Clinic, Cambridge, UK, with data collected by a single researcher (HS), a qualified optometrist. PARTICIPANTS:50 adult participants with peripheral field impairment were recruited for this study. Individuals with conditions not primarily affecting peripheral visual function, such as macular degeneration, were excluded from the study. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES:Participants undertook three custom and one standard binocular VF tests assessing VF to 60°, and also integrated monocular threshold 24-2 visual fields (IVF). Primary VF outcomes were average mean threshold, percentage of stimuli seen and VF area. VF outcomes were compared with self-reported mobility function assessed with the Independent Mobility Questionnaire, and time taken and patient acceptability were also considered. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves determined which tests best predicted difficulty with mobility tasks. RESULTS:Greater VF loss was associated with greater self-reported mobility difficulty with all field paradigms (R2 0.38-0.48, all P<0.001). All four binocular tests were better than the IVF at predicting difficulty with at least three mobility tasks in ROC analysis. Mean duration of the tests ranged from 1?min 26?s (±9?s) for kinetic assessment to 9?min 23?s (±24?s) for IVF. CONCLUSIONS:The binocular VF tests extending to 60° eccentricity all relate similarly to self-reported mobility function, and slightly better than integrated monocular VFs. A kinetic assessment of VF area is quicker than and as effective at predicting mobility function as static threshold assessment.

Project description:BackgroundLong-term data collection is a challenging task in the domain of medical research. Many effects in medicine require long periods of time to become traceable e.g. the development of secondary malignancies based on a given radiotherapeutic treatment of the primary disease. Nevertheless, long-term studies often suffer from an initial lack of available information, thus disallowing a standardized approach for their approval by the ethics committee. This is due to several factors, such as the lack of existing case report forms or an explorative research approach in which data elements may change over time. In connection with current medical research and the ongoing digitalization in medicine, Long Term Medical Data Registries (MDR-LT) have become an important means of collecting and analyzing study data. As with any clinical study, ethical aspects must be taken into account when setting up such registries. This work addresses the problem of creating a valid, high-quality ethics committee proposal for medical registries by suggesting groups of tasks (building blocks), information sources and appropriate methods for collecting and analyzing the information, as well as a process model to compile an ethics committee proposal (EsPRit).MethodsTo derive the building blocks and associated methods software and requirements engineering approaches were utilized. Furthermore, a process-oriented approach was chosen, as information required in the creating process of ethics committee proposals remain unknown in the beginning of planning an MDR-LT. Here, we derived the needed steps from medical product certification. This was done as the medical product certification itself also communicates a process-oriented approach rather than merely focusing on content. A proposal was created for validation and inspection of applicability by using the proposed building blocks. The proposed best practice was tested and refined within SEMPER (Secondary Malignoma - Prospective Evaluation of the Radiotherapeutics dose distribution as the cause for induction) as a case study.ResultsThe proposed building blocks cover the topics of "Context Analysis", "Requirements Analysis", "Requirements Validation", "Electronic Case Report (eCRF) Design" and "Overall Concept Creation". Additional methods are attached with regards to each topic. The goals of each block can be met by applying those methods. The proposed methods are proven methods as applied in e.g. existing Medical Data Registry projects, as well as in software or requirements engineering.ConclusionSeveral building blocks and attached methods could be identified in the creation of a generic ethics committee proposal. Hence, an Ethics Committee can make informed decisions on the suggested study via said blocks, using the suggested methods such as "Defining Clinical Questions" within the Context Analysis. The study creators have to confirm that they adhere to the proposed procedure within the ethic proposal statement. Additional existing Medical Data Registry projects can be compared to EsPRit for conformity to the proposed procedure. This allows for the identification of gaps, which can lead to amendments requested by the ethics committee.

Dataset Information

The best of the UK? A report on the value and future of UK databases in the health and social care fields: a systematic map protocol.

Introduction

Method

Analysis

Publications

The best of the UK? A report on the value and future of UK databases in the health and social care fields: a systematic map protocol.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets