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How PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov can help libraries research older-adult health topics
Summary
The webinar showed how librarians can use PubMed's advanced builder and ClinicalTrials.gov filters to find older-adult research and local trials; presenters demonstrated age and location filters that substantially narrowed search results.
Benny Finch demonstrated how to use PubMed’s advanced search builder to move from a broad MedlinePlus-initiated query into a targeted literature search, and showed attendees how the search history reveals exact query strings and filters. Finch noted that applying an age filter for 65 reduced results in an example search to 159 records.
Finch also demoed ClinicalTrials.gov for the condition hypertension, reporting that the site listed "1,688 studies" for hypertension in the general listing and that applying filters (older adult + Houston, TX) reduced the example to 28 recruiting or not-yet-recruiting studies. He reminded librarians that ClinicalTrials.gov lists study registrations and that the U.S. government does not review or approve the safety or science of the studies listed; the site is an information resource for the public, researchers, and health professionals.
Presenters offered follow-up training: NNLM will teach deeper PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov webinars and has posted recordings and on-demand classes for library staff who want more technical instruction.
