Searching MEDLINE for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health literature: questionable sensitivity. (16th February 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sladek, Ruth M.; Tieman, Jennifer J.; Tyndall, Jess; Phillips, Paddy A.
• Is Part Of: Health information and libraries journal. Volume 30:Number 2(2013:Jun.)
• Page Start: 138
• Page End: 148
• Publication Date: 2013-02-16
• Subjects: Medical libraries -- Periodicals; Public health libraries -- Periodicals; Life sciences libraries -- Periodicals; Medical libraries -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Public health libraries -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Information science -- Periodicals; 026.61094105
• DOI: 10.1111/hir.12018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1471-1834

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en" id="hir12018-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="hir12018-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>The extent to which existing and future research can impact on reducing health disparities relates not only to the evidence available, but the ability to find that evidence. Our objective is to quantify experts' literature searching effectiveness with respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's health.</p> </sec> <sec id="hir12018-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Nine journals were dual reviewed, and a 'gold standard' set of relevant articles was identified. Health librarians (<italic>n</italic> = 25) completed a standardised searching task using OVID MEDLINE, and results were compared with the gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity and precision rates were calculated.</p> </sec> <sec id="hir12018-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>The gold standard comprised 136 of 1469 (9.3%) records from nine journals. Searches achieved a mean sensitivity of 53.2% (median = 64.7%, range 0.0–93.4%), specificity of 97.4% (median = 99.4%, range 52.6–100%) and precision of 83.3% (median = 91.0%, range 16.7–100%). Self‐estimates of search sensitivity (<italic>post hoc</italic>) were significantly higher than observed (M = 78.9%, <italic>t</italic> = 4.812, <italic>P</italic> < 0.001).</p> </sec> <sec id="hir12018-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Even expert searchers struggle to find the relevant peer‐reviewed literature in MEDLINE.</p> </sec> <sec id="hir12018-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Implications</title> <p>A search filter may improve searching effectiveness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health literature. Assessment of health librarians' searching competencies warrants further professional debate and consideration.</p> </sec> </abstract>