Practical Tips on Research Jean Sack

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Practical Tips for Staying Up-To-Date in Technical Areas

Jean C. Sack, MLS Public Health Informationist CCHI Presentation June 18, 2015

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Learning Objectives

• By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Make decisions about search approaches for the kind of information or knowledge needed

• Use HINARI access to PubMed for full text journal retrieval • Create a strategy for repeated searches or alerts to meet a need • List key sources of technical resources to consult or reference

supporting the major technical areas

• Consider starting Communities of Practice for CCIH members

What tools are essential for information exchange today?

Person to person Mailed letters and documents Fax exchanges Phone conversations Emails, Yammer, Skype, Adobe Connect, Webinars Blogs and social media Publications databases

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How are Christian Medical Organizations using these tools now?

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Members of the African Christian Health Association Platform [ACHAP] gathered for the opening of the World Health Assembly Geneva May 2016

ICHAP has information to share! How?

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Because Health Workers Matter: They Need Our Support http://www.africachap.org/x5/images/smilies/because%20health%20workers%20matter%20-%20final.pdf

What do you know and do already?

Name a successful search for information From a colleague? Through a group email or CoP? Through a database or an alert to a topic? In a document or references? From a librarian?

Tell us about a failure to find data or information Because of external factors: time, connectivity,

experts Because don’t know how to do it May not be available in language of user

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Why Search for Technical Information?

• Prepare or update national standards or guidelines • Write concept note or brief • Contribute to technical working group • Inform and adjust project design • Create bibliography for a proposal • Write background and discussion section of journal article • Stay up-to-date in your field • Give a lecture or presentation as an expert in your field

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Reflections

Think again about your experience with searching for technical information. What has worked well? Have you experienced challenges in translating it for workforce? Write it down – we will find some answers at the end!

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Tamponnement intra-utérin par ballonnet

Un atelier pour les agents de santé de première ligne

In the language(s) of your choice…

Guiding Principles for Information Searching

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Recency Look at last 5 years (with exceptions)

Authority Does author or organization have a record of credibility?

Relevance Is the information relevant to the country or regional context?

Relevance

• Relevance to location, project, culture • Critical thinking about type of source • Use professional networks

• Value of expert opinion • Ask as part of search process

Name three technical resources that are important to you!

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WHO Guidelines – use digital!

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http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/arv/arv-2016/en/

10 Mb (download at night!) 4 pounds/1.8 kg Digital is easy to search and share portions! Fits on thumb drive /computer

Setting up alerts for topics from journals

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Follow-up on current, relevant articles by creating free citation alerts on the journal homepage!

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Select only the most appropriate alerts!

Grants and Foundation information

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Free access ENOCH PRATT

Emailed alerts to grants, fellowships, training: NIH

Use HINARI for more full text documents!

http://www.who.int/hinari/en/

Only qualified agencies in Low income countries can register!

Sign on to HINARI to search PubMed

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HIN010

This CCIH training password expires on June 22, 2016

Finding recent studies of typhoid in Nepal

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A relevant search can act as an alert

Jhpiego technical information and training

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www.reprolineplus.org

Authority

• What does “authoritative” mean for searching? • Trusted source: Has a vetting process through

technical expertise (e.g., WHO); trust accuracy • Updating process: Has a systematic process for

updating information (Jhpiego; K4Health; Popline) • Organizational values (reputation of WHO or UNFPA) • NOT on Beall’s list of predatory journals but IS ON PubMed/Medline’s indexed journals

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Beall’s Lists of Predatory journals and publishers – Open Access

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• For profit publishers are fishing for reviewers = wasted time!

• Some journals use conference proceedings to request articles and charge too much money

• These publishers and journals are not recognized by PUBMED

https://scholarlyoa.com/2015/01/02/bealls-list-of-predatory-publishers-2015/

Examples of Authoritative Sources

• WHO • USAID’s DEC • JHU’s POPLINE • Jhpiego’s ReproLinePlusSM

• PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• International Professional Association Conference Proceedings (e.g., FIGO)

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Look for these top. level domains:

• .gov • .edu • .org

Recency

• Exceptions to the 5-year window: • Background: Provides overview that is still valid • Topic-Specific:

• Fast-changing science (e.g., HIV) • On-going research not yet approved by boards (e.g.,

pharmaceuticals) • Context-Specific: Recent events affect suitability of

information (e.g., safety, reliability, availability) • Negative Recency Factor: Tragic news; “fanfare” for a

popularized commodity

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Check a resource for updates

Nepal study conducted on 5000 pregnant women Women who received two doses of albendazole

experienced less severe anaemia (Hb <7 g/L) The study also reported increase in birthweight after

two doses of albendazole (mean difference=59g). The studies in Nepal ,Sri Lanka also reported a

beneficial impact of antihelmenthics on infant survival. Nepal study showed a decreased risk of infant

mortality at 6 months . RR = 0.59

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Check PubMed under author & subject

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Think of a current topic – find MeSH terms

Zika virus Ebola

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Less Credible Sources

• “Grey” literature (self-published by organizations) POPLINE, USAID DEC,

Population Council, FHI • Non-indexed, non-peer-

reviewed, for-profit journals Check Bealls List or AOJ • Commercial websites Perhaps for products or drugs

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Use critical thinking with sites that have these top.level domains:

• .com • .net

Signing Up for E-Mail Alerts

• Many excellent sources offer e-mail alerts • How it works:

• Choose search terms or topics • Enter your e-mail address • As new material becomes available that matches your

criteria, you receive an e-mail with links to the material

• See NCBI PubMed for how this works

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Set up an NCBI alert to a topic

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Use HINARI for more full text documents!

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http://www.who.int/hinari/en/

More training is available in video & step by step how tos!

Training materials for HINARI and other

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Searches on PubMed can be simple

1. Use a technical area word with AND Nepal 2. Narrow to 5 years 3. Expand the format to abstract 4. Check those most relevant 5. Save, email, put in your NCBI bibliography 6. Follow newer citations (to right of key articles) 7. Notice review articles! 8. Look at bibliography on best articles 9. Use the Medical subject headings (MeSH)

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HIN010 50483 (training active until Dec. 7)

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Free membership in NCBI for PubMed

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S

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Find Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) or Apply limits to search

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Let’s all practice one search on HINARI

Sign into HINARI http://www.who.int/hinari/en/

Use your agency log-in and password

Jean Sack is using HIN010 50483 Do a simple search on a topic of your choice

–15 minutes for this tutorial!

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Other Possible Sources to Use in a Search Strategy

Google or Google Scholar (scholar.google.com/) PubMed for journal articles (www.nlm.nih.gov/ ) or key journals on topic Document repositories:

RH and MNCH Training manuals (www.reprolineplus.org) Respectful maternal care (http://whiteribbonalliance.org/) World Health Organization (www.who.int ) USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse (www.dec.usaid.gov ) POPLINE reproductive health literature database (www.POPLINE.org) Nepal Health Research Council (www.library.nhrc.org.np ) DOVE (www.stopcholera.org )

As needed: Manufacturer websites Asking expert opinion through networking (such as through listservs:

CoPs or e-mail discussion lists)

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Finding updates is important!

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Consulting Experts or Leaders

• Leaders in different disciplines, organizations • Know their core strengths • Harness these sources as needed • How do you build a network?

• Exposure to an event: training, meeting, conference • Establish relationships • Maintain contact and active membership • Ask for support • Acknowledge received support and tell them how

you used their support

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Summary

• On-going need to access up-to-date information • Guiding principles for searching: Relevance,

Authority, Recency • Good sources include: ReproLinePlus.org,

WHO.int, dec.usaid.gov, popline.org • Tap into expert opinions

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Thank you!

Questions?

Jean.sack@jhpiego.org

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