20.2 Informatics and Literature Search

Question 1

List 3 challenges of evidence retrieval for palliative care clinicians

Answer 1

1. Size of evidence base: rapidly expanding biomedical literature
2. Diffuse nature of palliative care’s interests (referral-based specialty, so info needs can be extensive)
3. “scatter” in the reporting of research –> greater in specialties that concern patients with a wide range of conditions. (i.e. may miss articles not published in specialty journals)
4. Non publication of pall care research or publication in non-indexed journals
5. Physicians lack technical skills in searching

Question 2

Although quick and easy, list 3 concerns with using Google or Google Scholar as search options.

Answer 2

-lack of advanced search features to enable the user any control over retrievals
-insufficient and unclear indexing
-uncertainty about coverage
-lack of transparency about the embedded search algorithm

Question 3

List 3 major knowledge resources for palliative care available on the web

Answer 3

see table 20.2.1

1. Canadian virtual hospice
2. Cochrane Pain Palliative and Supportive Care
3. National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

Question 4

What is the role and contribution of search filters in pall care literature searches?

Answer 4

They are an extremely valuable health informatics tool as it provides a transparent and reproducible mechanism for identifying relevant literature within a particular bibliographic database

By combining the palliative care search filter with expert searches on a range of care issues, such as dyspnoea or distress, it is possible to offer a technology-based solution to the problem of individuals’ search competence.