Health technology assessment on the Net : a guide to Internet sources of information

38 Pages·1999·3.5 MB·English

Aum^
AH FMR ^ AFLOBR E RMTEAD I HCEARLI T ARGEES E AFROCUH NDATION
Health Technology
Assessment on the Net:
A G uide to Internet
Sources of Information
Eighth edition
HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT UNIT
JUNE 2006
® C opyright Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, 2006
Additional copies available from:
Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research
Suite 1500, 10104 - 1 03 Ave NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4A7
CANADA
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Website: www.ahfmr.ab.ca
E-mail: [email protected]
ISBN 1-894927-42-7 (Print)
ISBN 1-894927-43-5 (Online)
ISSN 1710-6605 (Print)
ISSN 1710-6613 (Online)
This guide is updated annually. The latest version is available on the
AHFMR website:
www.ahfmr.ab.ca/hta/hta-
publications/infopapers/ Internet sources of information.pdf
AHFMR is a member of the International Network of Agencies for
Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA)
HTA on the Net • J une 2006
Health technology
assessment
on the Net: a g uide to
Internet sources of
information
Eighth edition
Liza Chan
Liz Dennett
Seana Coilins
Leigh-Ann Topfer
AH FMR
ALBERTA HERITAGE FOUNDATION
FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH
HTA on the Net • J une 2006 i
Acknowledgements
Many thanks are due to Damen Cole for his assistance in developing the
bookmarks file and to Wendy Mclndoo for her expertise in formatting the final
document and transforming it into its print and online incarnations.
HTA on the Net • J une 2006 ii
Preface
It was brought to our attention that in earlier editions we did not explicitly state
our selection criteria for the websites included in the guide. We have no formal
criteria - other than that these sites have been particularly useful to us in our
HTA literature searches. However, the sites we include usually meet most of the
following criteria.
Selection Criteria
• developed by non-profit agencies (such as government funded
organizations and universities) = authority and reliability
• updated regularly (with the exception of some sites which have been
included for historical purposes) = currency
• contains valuable information for health technology assessment =
applicability
• the bibliographic databases generally contain peer-reviewed studies; the
health technology assessment and evidence-based health sources
generally follow accepted methods for ensuring the comprehensiveness,
transparency and reliability of the methods used in their systematic
reviews = validity
• most of these sites are fairly easy to navigate and search = usability
The validity of our selections has not been formally tested. Readers should use
their own critical appraisal skills to j udge the quality of the information they find
on these websites. Many guides to assessing the quality of health information on
the Internet are available, for example: the Canadian Health Network guide.
Using health information on the Internet (http: / / www.canadian-health-
network.ca/servlet/ContentServer?cid-lQ42668266218&pagename=CHN-
RCS/Page/ShellStaticContentPageTemplate&c-Page&lang=En) or the HON
Code of C onduct (HONcode) for medical and health Web sites
(http://www.hon.ch/HONcode/Conduct.html).
Using evidence from qualitative research has gained momentum in the past
decade, and we have made an effort to include qualitative research sources into
this guide. Instead of dedicating a specific section to qualitative research, we
have interspersed sites with strong qualitative evidence into the existing sections.
In this edition, we have re-arranged several sections to group the resources in
relevant categories. Hopefully, this will allow you to quickly find specific
resources and make it easier to use the guide.
HTA on the Net • J une 2006 iii
This year we continue to provide a " bookmarks" file to accompany the guide.
The bookmarks can be downloaded from the AHFMR website
(http://www.ahfmr.ab.ca/hta/bookmarks/bookmark instructions.pdf) to your
computer to allow easy access to these sources when you need them.
i
{
HTA on the Net • J une 2006 iv
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements i
Preface ii
Introduction 1
Free Bibliographic Databases 2
Commercial Bibliographic Databases ($$$) 4
Canadian HTA Sites 6
International HTA Sites 8
Government & R esearch Information 11
Canada 11
International 12
United Kingdom 12
United States 12
Clinical Trials 14
Practice Guidelines 15
Complementary & A lternative Medicine 17
Health Economics 18
Quality of Life 20
Further Information 21
Distance learning in HTA 21
Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) & C ritical Appraisal 22
Critical Appraisal 23
Knowledge Transfer and Research Utilization 24
Listservs 25
Literature Searching Guides 25
,26
Open Access (Free) Electronic Journals
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2016
https://archive.org/details/healthtechnology08unse
HTA on the Net • J une 2006 1
Introduction
The foundation for any health efficient searching is to know
where reliable and relevant
technology assessment (HTA) is
information. In fact, health technology information can most often be
assessment is the synthesis of many found.
pieces of information from many
This guide focuses on Internet
different sources. The purpose of an
sites, particularly those that may be
HTA is to provide health care
useful for people involved in
decision-makers with the evidence
health care in Alberta, Canada, but
they need to make informed decisions
health technology assessments will
concerning the introduction, allocation
also incorporate data from other
and cost-effective use of medical
sources. These may include
technologies.
specialized bibliographic databases
Since its beginnings in the United relevant to the subject of the
States in the early 1970s, health assessment; data from government
technology assessment has expanded and regulatory agencies;
throughout the world. This growth administrative databases; industry
has been accompanied by the studies, and advice from experts in
development of many useful sources the field. Traditional print
for HTA information. Some of these resources, such as medical
sources are produced by government textbooks, may also provide
and HTA agencies, while others are background information. These
the products of centres involved in sources will vary depending on the
advancing evidence-based health care, subject and scope of the
such as the international Cochrane assessment.
Collaboration.
Typically, a l iterature search for a
Although a f ew of these resources technology assessment will begin
were available in p re-Internet days, with the major biomedical
the Internet has had a t remendous databases, such as PubMed, and
impact on the amount of information with searches to determine if other
available to us. However, as with all HTA agencies have already
searches on the World Wide Web, the assessed this technology. Such
quantity of information can be information is now easily
overwhelming, and information from accessible, via the Internet, at the
sites listed in this guide.
some websites may be biased, out-of-
date or of p oor quality. The key to
vj. i
mi fiit-
jSuT.
"if U4 fc*«n|
tiiM ..lit.'rf » r,i ni
|4^ -1(4 Kitf
•.‘' 'M ■;-• V-- ■ *
’ • .i-i:nvi-*t^(^,V’ ‘w#ci? y
, I f « I * tUil^ Uj
1^1
. .,-,4<rifitt>4Mi^ '■• '■• '-f • ^X'
* ■■|iiliii’ '«o »«*W< ■" '
IfMrt
ilriM *fi