Databases are the key resources you need to use for your literature search. Databases will retrieve published studies from a variety of journals. This section provides lists of the main resources you need to search.
There is no set number of databases you are expected to search. It is common practice to search between four to eight databases to find published papers.
The key databases for health research are available via EBSCOhost and Ovid Online. Select databases that cover general health topics, and the ones focussing on the topic you are interested in. You can create a personal account with each database platform to save and manage your search strategies.
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| APA PsycINFO | EBSCOhost | Covers peer-reviewed literature in psychology, behavioural science and mental health. |
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CINAHL Ultimate | EBSCOhost | Covers nursing, biomedicine, alternative medicine, consumer health and allied health. |
| Medline complete | EBSCOhost | Covers medicine, nursing, the health care system and pre-clinical science. |
| AMED | Ovid Online | Covers complementary medicine, palliative and allied health care. |
| Embase | Ovid Online | Covers all aspects of healthcare and specialises in drug therapy and research. |
| Cochrane central register of controlled trials | Ovid Online | Provides titles and abstracts of controlled trials. |
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Health policy reference center | EBSCOhost | Covers all issues on health policy, i.e. health care access, health care quality, health care financing, etc. |
| Business source ultimate | EBSCOhost | Covers business and management, finance, human resources management, marketing, social sciences and health. |
| Econlit with full-text | EBSCOhost | Covers all fields of economics. |
| Political science complete | EBSCOhost | Covers political topics with a worldwide focus, including health planning, health care reform and costs. |
| Health management information consortium | Ovid Online | Covers health service policy, management and administration; the quality of health service; the planning, design and maintenance of health service building; occupational health; control and regulation of medicines; medical equipment and social care. |
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Global health | Ovid Online | For infectious diseases, human nutrition, community and public health issues around the world. |
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity and infant care (MIDIRS) | Ovid Online | Key resource for maternity health care professionals and student midwives worldwide. |
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ovid Emcare | Ovid Online | Includes international coverage and covers all nursing specialties and nursing healthcare professions. |
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sociology source ultimate | EBSCOhost | Covers sociology, criminology, ethnic, racial and gender studies, marriage and family and social psychology. |
| Social policy and practice | Ovid Online | For publications on health and social care in the UK context. |
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Communication source | EBSCOhost | Covers communication theory, linguistics, rhetoric and discourse, speech-language, phonetics and media studies. |
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Academic search ultimate | EBSCOhost | Covers all subjects including health, medicine and psychology. |
| Database | Database platform | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ScienceDirect | Science Direct | Provides access to thousands of journals and e-books published by Elsevier. Subjects covered include science, technology, business, management, health science, engineering and social sciences. |
| Scopus | Elsevier | Abstract and citation database. Covers international research in the fields of science, technology, medicine and social sciences. |
| Web of Science | Clarivate | Multidisciplinary resource; allows you to cross search a range of citation indexes and databases. Provides access to citation reports and cited reference searching. |
Browse the free health databases and gateways reading list to find other databases that specialise in your topic.