LibGuides: Systematic Reviews: Searching for systematic reviews

Systematic Reviews

Prior to starting a systematic review you need to find out if a systematic review has been done or is under way. Checking registers, such as PROSPERO, is important in ensuring that you aren't repeating a review that has been done or registered.

Published reviews also provide a useful starting point for identifying studies in your area of research.

Some databases focus specifically on indexing evidence-based medicine, systematic reviews, etc. e.g. Cochrane databases

You can also search the larger subject databases such as MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and limit the search to "systematic review". Some databases have a filter or limit option to limit the search to 'systematic review'.

It's also useful to search the large multidisciplinary citation databases Web of Science and Scopus, particularly if your research is cross-disciplinary.

Systematic Reviews and Registers

PROSPERO: International prospective register of systematic reviews
PROSPERO accepts registrations for systematic reviews, rapid reviews and umbrella reviews.
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PROSPERO is an international database of prospectively registered systematic reviews in health and social care, welfare, public health, education, crime, justice, and international development, where there is a health related outcome. Key features from the review protocol are recorded and maintained as a permanent record. PROSPERO aims to provide a comprehensive listing of systematic reviews registered at inception to help avoid duplication and reduce opportunity for reporting bias by enabling comparison of the completed review with what was planned in the protocol.
PROSPERO is produced by CRD and funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
CRD database
The CRD databases (NHS EED and HTA) are updated daily and provide decision-makers with access to:
•Over 20,000 quality assessed systematic reviews
•Over 13,000 economic evaluations
•Over 12,000 summaries of completed and ongoing health technology assessments
•Summaries of all Cochrane reviews and protocols

Cochrane Library This link opens in a new window
A collection of databases that contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. Find Systematic Reviews, Clinical Trials, Method Studies and more.
BMJ Best Practice This link opens in a new window
Point of care reference database. A clinical decision support tool known for its breadth of disease coverage, editorial quality and evidence-based methodology.
CINAHL Ultimate This link opens in a new window
A core research database of Nursing and Allied Health information. Additional materials include Evidence-based Care Sheets, Quick Lessons and continuing Education Modules.
MEDLINE This link opens in a new window
An international database indexing the biomedical literature and produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). MeSH (medical subject headings) is the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary thesaurus, used in MEDLINE indexing.
PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed Clinical Queries includes a filter for Systematic Reviews
Scopus This link opens in a new window
A multidisciplinary abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature, and provides both author and journal metrics (performance analytics) of the literature indexed in the database.
Web of Science This link opens in a new window
Web of Science is a multidisciplinary abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature, and provides both author and journal metrics (performance analytics) of the literature indexed in the database.
PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database) This link opens in a new window
A free database of over 43,000 randomised trials, systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines in physiotherapy.
OTseeker (Occupational Therapy Systematic Evaluation of Evidence) This link opens in a new window
Contains abstracts of thousands of systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and other resources relevant to occupational therapy interventions.
PsycBITE This link opens in a new window
Catalogues studies of cognitive, behavioural and other treatments for psychological problems and issues occurring as a consequence of acquired brain impairment (ABI). Contains Systematic Reviews, Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT), Non-Randomised Controlled Trials (non-RCT), Case Series (CS), and Single-Case Experimental Designs (SCED).
SpeechBITE This link opens in a new window
Speech Pathology Database for Best Interventions and Treatment Efficacy is a database of intervention studies across the scope of speech pathology practice.

Many of the clinical trial registers include information about trials that are in progress as well as those that have been completed, for example:

CENTRAL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials
Clinicaltrials.gov (a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health)
ICTRP (the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform through WHO). Note that although ClinicalTrials.gov is included in the WHO ICTRP portal, there are additional features in Clinicaltrials.gov and hence both should be searched separately

Australian Clinical Trials
Search for clinical trial registries, organisations, research networks, coordinating hubs and support groups by specific disease or condition.
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About: This website recognises the important role that clinical trials play in Australia, both in improving the health of all Australians and in the Australian economy.

The website aims to provide reliable and up-to-date information and advice about clinical trials in Australia for the public, researchers and industry. For the public, the website provides easy to understand information about clinical trials in Australia and how to become involved in a clinical trial. For industry, it provides information on the advantages of conducting clinical trials in Australia. For researchers, it provides an overview of the legislative and regulatory environment and useful links.

The website is the result of the recommendations of the Clinical Trials Action Group, supported by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Systematic reviews journals

Campbell Systematic Reviews
Campbell Systematic Reviews is an open access journal which publishes systematic reviews, evidence and gap maps, and methods research papers.
Campbell has a growing list of editorial topic areas, including Methods, Social Welfare, Disability, Education, International Development, Crime and Justice, Training, Knowledge Translation and Implementation, and Business and Management.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) is the leading journal and database for systematic reviews in health care. CDSR includes Cochrane Reviews (systematic reviews) and protocols for Cochrane Reviews as well as editorials and supplements.
Each Cochrane Review is a systematic review that has been prepared and supervised by a Cochrane Review Group (editorial team). It attempts to identify, appraise and synthesize all the empirical evidence that meets pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a specific research question.
JBI evidence synthesis
JBI Evidence Synthesis seeks to disseminate rigorous, high-quality research that provides the best available evidence to inform policy and practice through the science and conduct of systematic and scoping reviews. The journal publishes systematic and scoping review protocols, diverse types of systematic reviews, and scoping reviews covering multi-disciplinary healthcare-related topics that follow methodology and methods developed by JBI.
Preceded by: :JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports.
Systematic Reviews
"Systematic Reviews" encompasses all aspects of the design, conduct and reporting of systematic reviews. The journal aims to publish high quality systematic review products including systematic review protocols, systematic reviews related to a very broad definition of health, rapid reviews, updates of already completed systematic reviews, and methods research related to the science of systematic reviews, such as decision modelling. The journal also aims to ensure that the results of all well-conducted systematic reviews are published, regardless of their outcome.
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Issues start from 2012: http://www.systematicreviewsjournal.com/archive
Open access via BioMed Central.

Cochrane Library

Cochrane Library
The Cochrane Library is a collection of six databases that contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making, and a seventh database that provides information about Cochrane groups.
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Cochrane comprises a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers, and people interested in health. Their work is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.
The Cochrane Library Reference Guide
The Reference Guide provides easy step-by-step guidance to using the Cochrane Library as well as a detailed overview of available features and functionality.

Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI)

JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) This link opens in a new window
Includes over 3,000 records across seven publication types: Evidence Based Recommended Practices, Evidence Summaries, Best Practice Information Sheets, Systematic Reviews, Consumer Information Sheets, Systematic Review Protocols, and Technical Reports.

When using this Database it is best to select the MULTI-FIELD SEARCH Option

Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools
Guidance templates to assist in the process of critique or appraisal of the research evidence.

EPPI Centre

EPPI-Centre is part of the Social Science Research Unit at the Institute of Education, University of London. It conducts systematic reviews across a range of topics and works with a large number of funders.

Major areas include:

Education and social policy
Health promotion and public health
International health systems and development
Participative research and policy.

Full reviews can be found in the Centre’s online Evidence Library.

Campbell Collaboration

Campbell

The Campbell Collaboration is an international research network that produces systematic reviews of the effects of social interventions in education, crime and justice, social welfare and international development.

Published issues of Campbell systematic reviews:
https://campbellcollaboration.org/campbell-systematic-reviews.html

Full reports are published online in the Campbell Library.