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Diversity & Equity in Healthcare

Search Strategy Tips

How To Develop a Search Strategy (in progress)

Depending on what Banner Library resources you are searching (in this case, PubMed),  breaking your inquiry down into separate "concepts" (or main ideas) is essential. Then, you want to gather as many synonyms as possible. In PubMed, it is also essential to view the MeSH database to locate the official terminology used to classify information related to all of those natural language keywords. 

Let's say as an example that I need information on healthcare disparities among transgender adults. 

  • Document your strategy using Logbook created by VU Amsterdam Libraries. 
  • Formulate your research question and break into separate concepts and collect relevant terms and synonyms for each concept:
  • Collect relevant terms and synonyms for each concept
    • Concept 1: Transgender                Synonyms: gender binary, gender non-conforming, gender fluid, trans man, trans woman, etc
    • Concept 2: Adults                          Synonyms: Male, female, 18-65 years old
    • Concept 3: Healthcare Disparities Synonyms: Healthcare equity, inequity, discrimination, racism
  • Search the MeSH databse to locate official terminology (MeSH heading) if applicable
  • Combining Concepts: use Boolean operators OR to combine all like terms (broaden results)
  • Combining Concepts: use Boolean operator AND to combine differing terms (to narrow results)
  • View sample video on creating a search strategy for appendectomy here

 

Terminology by Database

DATABASE TERMS TO LOCATE DEI-A TOPICS OF INTEREST
CINAHL "ageism"; "discrimination, employment"; "diversity, equity, inclusion"; "diversity training"; "cultural diversity"; "gender affirming care"; "gender affirmation procedures"; "gender affirmation surgery"; "workforce diversity"; "gender equality"; "racial equality"; "social inclusion"; "disability discrimination"; "health services accessibility"; "access to primary care"; "public accommodation"
EMBASE 'ageism'; 'diversity, equity and inclusion'/de; 'ethnic group'; 'implicit bias'; 'health disparity'/de; 'disability discrimination'/de; 'racism'/de; 'disability discrimination'/de; 'microaggression'; 'gender affirming hormone therapy'; 'sexism'; 'discrimination against sexual and gender minorities'; 'transgender people'; 'LGBTQIA+ people';
HEALTH BUSINESS ELITE ageism; diversity & inclusion policies; diversity in organizations; gender affirming care; racism in medicine; microaggressions; gender affirming care; sex discrimination; politics & gender; 
OVID MEDLINE

ageism; cultural diversity; disability discrimination; ethnic and racial minorities; workforce diversity; diversity, equity, inclusion; sexual and gender minorities; transgender persons; gender equity; health equity; racism; systemic racism; health status disparities; socioeconomic disparities in health; implicit bias; 
PUBMED "disability discrimination"[Mesh]; "diversity, equity, inclusion"[Mesh]; ageism[Mesh]; transgender persons[Mesh]; health services for transgender persons[Mesh]; anti-racism[Mesh]; racism[Mesh]; systemic racism[Mesh]; "sexual and gender minorities"[Mesh]; "ethnic and racial minorities"[Mesh]; "minority groups"[Mesh]