The Australian Immunisation Handbook 10th Edition 2013

APPENDIX 2: LITERATURE SEARCH STRATEGY FOR
THE 10TH EDITION OF THE HANDBOOK
For each Handbook chapter, broad literature searches were conducted for the years
since the last Handbook searches were performed, using up to 24 databases, listed
in Table A2.1. The purpose of these searches was to ensure that NCIRS technical
writers and ATAGI members had access to all relevant information from the
latest medical literature to allow identification of important issues related to
the updating of all Handbook chapters. In addition, since writing of the 9th
edition of the Handbook, Selected Dissemination Information (SDI) searches were
established to enable the ongoing collection of new relevant items on the search
topics. This process used the same search strategies as previously described,
which allowed consideration and inclusion of papers published since publication
of the 9th edition Handbook.
Table A2.1: Electronic databases searched for the 10th edition
Electronic database Time period
MEDLINE 2006–2011
Cochrane Library – including Cochrane Database of Systematic 2006–2011
Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, the
Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL),
Methods Studies, the Health Technology Assessment Database,
the NHS Economic Evaluation Database
Cumulated Index Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) 2006–2011
(when required)
Clinical Evidence 2006–2011
EMBASE 2006–2011
Australian focused Informit databases (AMI, APA-FT, APAIS, 2006–2011
APAIS - Health, ATSIhealth, Ausport Med, CINCH - Health,
DRUG, Health and Society, HIVA, Health Collection, Indigenous
Collection, RURAL, SAGE)
Searches were conducted using the electronic databases detailed in Table A2.1,
with the search period from 2006 to October 2011, in order to retrieve items
published since the searches completed for the 9th edition of the Handbook. The
scope of the searches was broad, to ensure maximum retrieval and minimise
the exclusion of items of interest. Previous Handbook searches were examined to
determine the scope required for the new searches, and similar search strategies
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APPENDIX 2