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Already know about MeSH Subject Headings? Jump to MeSH ➜

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) are a controlled vocabulary used for indexing and searching biomedical literature. Created by the National Library of Medicine, MeSH is a key part of the MEDLINE/PubMed database. Key features include:

1. Controlled Vocabulary: Standardized terms ensure consistent indexing and searching.
2. Hierarchy: Terms are organized in a tree structure, allowing searches from broad to specific topics.
3. Descriptors: Main subject headings, e.g., "Diabetes Mellitus."
4. Qualifier Terms: Refine searches, e.g., "therapy" with "Diabetes Mellitus."
5. Entry Terms: Synonyms guiding users to the correct descriptor.
6. Supplementary Concept Records: Additional terms for chemicals, drugs, etc.
7. Regular Updates: Ensures relevance and comprehensiveness.

MeSH enhances search precision and recall, aiding researchers and healthcare professionals in finding relevant information efficiently.

More resources from the National Library of Medicine: Using PICO to Frame Clinical Questions ➜

PICO questions are a framework used in evidence-based practice, particularly in healthcare, to formulate and answer clinical questions. The acronym PICO stands for:

• Patient or Population: Who is the patient or population of interest?
• Intervention: What is the intervention being considered?
• Comparison: Is there a comparison intervention or control group?
• Outcome: What are the desired outcomes or what do you hope to accomplish?

Using PICO helps in developing focused questions that make it easier to search for and find relevant evidence in the literature. For example, a PICO question might be: "In adults with chronic migraines (P), is acupuncture (I) more effective than standard medication (C) in reducing the frequency of migraine episodes (O)?"

A systematic review is a comprehensive, structured approach to synthesizing research evidence on a specific question or topic. It involves several key steps:

1. Formulating a Clear Research Question: Often structured using frameworks like PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome).

2. Comprehensive Literature Search: Searching multiple databases and sources to identify all relevant studies, both published and unpublished.

3. Selection of Studies: Applying predefined criteria to select studies that are relevant to the research question.

4. Data Extraction and Quality Assessment: Extracting data from the included studies and assessing their quality and risk of bias.

5. Data Synthesis: Combining the results of the studies, which may include a meta-analysis if the data allows for it.

6. Reporting: Presenting the findings in a structured format, often following guidelines like PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses).

Systematic reviews aim to minimize bias and provide a high level of evidence on the effectiveness, safety, and other aspects of interventions or treatments.