UTEP Library Research Guides: Interdisciplinary Health Science Disseration Research: Evidence Based Health Care

Evidence-Based Healthcare Tutorials

The following tutorials are very detailed and time-consuming-- but they are excellent resources if you really wish to acquaint yourself with the concept of evidence-based healthcare.

Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice
A comprehensive tutorial by Duke University.
Evidence Essentials
Created by the United States Cochrane Center, this tutorial is divided into sections and is structured like a lecture.

Strongest Types of Evidence Based Information

Systematic Reviews: Usually focus on clinicat topic and answer a specific question. Searches systematically the literature available to find valid studies with good methodology. It is not original research it reviews the research that has already been conducted. Some might list the keywords and databases used for finding such research.

Meta Analysis: A systematic review which combines vast reseach and then analyzes the data with statistics

Randomized Controlled Trials: A research study in which participants are randomly placed in a control and comparison group. Blinding of participants and researchers is an important aspect to reduce bias.

Databases Tutorials

Click on the following links to view a short tutorial on each topic. For flash-free mobile and Apple devices click on

Introduction to Cochrane Library

Introduction to PubMed

Types of Evidence

The Systematic Review-- the "Gold Standard" of Evidence

Evidence Based Databases

CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature) (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Bibliographic index for the professional literature of nursing, allied health, biomedicine, and healthcare derived from English-language and selected international source materials. Subject coverage includes management, behaviorial sciences, health sciences, librarianship, education, and consumer health. Materials indexed include journals, books, book chapters, pamphlets, audiovisuals, dissertations, educational software, conference proceedings, standards of professional practice, nurse practice acts, critical paths, and research instruments.
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=cin20
Cochrane Library (Wiley) This link opens in a new window
A collection of evidence-based medicine databases, including the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Cochrane Reviews), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Database of Methodology Reviews (Methodology Reviews), the Health Technology Assessment Database (HTA), and the NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED). Includes full text, systematic reviews of empirical studies, complete with graphs, figures, odds-ratio diagrams, and tables, many of which can be manipulated for statistical analysis.
https://www.cochranelibrary.com
PubMed (NCBI-NLM) This link opens in a new window
PubMed is a free service provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). It provides indexing for bibliographic citations from MEDLINE (1966 - present), OLDMEDLINE (1950 - 1965), out-of-scope and publisher-supplied citations, in-process records, and selected other NLM-reviewed life science journal articles with full text in PubMedCentral. Provides comprehensive coverage of international biomedical literature. Materials indexed include scholarly journals, newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. Many citations include abstracts and some include free full text or links to full text, based on institutional subscriptions.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?otool=txutxelib
MEDLINE (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
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Comprehensive index for international literature in biomedicine, bioengineering, and health. Includes those areas of the life, behavioral, and chemical sciences needed by health professionals and others engaged in basic research and clinical care, public health, health policy development, or related educational activities. Subject coverage includes medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, and the pre-clinical sciences. Materials indexed include scholarly journals, newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. This database is made possible by TexShare.
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=cmedm