Table 4

Freqency of databases searched and other search methods used to identify primary studies included in systematic reviews of pediatric complementary and alternative medicine

Databases Searched
N
%

Medline (or Index Medicus)
32
68.1%
Cochrane Library
17
36.2%
Embase (or Excerpta Medica)
13
27.7%
PsycLit (or Psych. Abstracts)
13
27.7%
CINAHL
10
21.3%
Dissertation Abstracts
7
14.9%
Biosis (or Biological Abstracts)
6
12.8%
Science Citation Index (ISI)
5
10.6%
Current Contents
3
6.4%
Pysclnfo
3
6.4%
HealthStar
2
4.3%
SocioFile or Sociological Abstracts
2
4.3%
Other Bibliographic Databases1
12
25.5%
Other Trials Registries2
2
4.3%
Other search methods


Reference Lists Reviewed
34
72.3%
Experts / Corresponding Authors
16
34.0%
Hand Searching
11
23.4%
Conference Proceedings / Abstracts
8
17.0%
Pharmaceutical Companies / Manufacturers
6
12.8%
No search reported
4
8.5%
Personal Files
3
6.4%
Search mentioned but details not reported
3
6.4%
Subject Bibliography
1
2.1%

1Other databases searched included ALTA religions database, Cancelit, CISCOM, ERIC, Index to the Chiropractic Literature, MANTIS, Mental Health Abstracts, Phytodok and SIGLE 2Other trial registries searched included National Library of Medicine database of published trials and Oxford database of perinatal trials.

Moher et al. BMC Pediatrics 2002 2:3   doi:10.1186/1471-2431-2-3