About content for professionals
The Portal puts in one place the best available scientific evidence about optimal aging and common health conditions. Our sophisticated search engine allows users to skim through masses of health research. We’ve created tools to filter your search and customize how to view detailed articles for the professional who wants to know more.
The Portal provides access to research evidence drawn from three best-in-class resources. Clinicians can access the Portal's content from the McMaster Premium LiteratUre Service (McMasterPLUS™) for their clinical questions. Public health professionals can access the Portal's content of Health Evidence™ for their public health questions. Policymakers can access the Portal's content of Health Systems Evidence for their questions about health systems and Social Systems Evidence for their questions about social systems.
Search features
When you run a search on the Portal, we sort the results by relevance to your search terms, quality of the research evidence retrieved, and in the case of McMasterPLUS™, by relevance to and newsworthiness for clinicians. The results are prioritized and sorted according to the role you selected at registration or when updating your profile (e.g., clinicians are provided first with research evidence about how to improve the health of patients and their families).
The documents you retrieve will include links to scientific abstracts and full text when available. You will also be able to quickly access any Evidence Summaries of the best reviews of evidence, written in consumer-friendly language, that are available and links to the other types of citizen content related to your search for professional content. Web Resource Ratings tell you whether consumer-friendly, free health resources on the internet are based on scientific research. Blog Posts present experts’ views on topics specific to optimal aging.
All of the research for professionals is drawn from one of the following databases:
McMasterPLUS™
For clinical questions (‘improve your and your family’s health’)
McMasterPLUS™ (Premium LiteratUre Service) is a database that provides the best research evidence for clinicians such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals. It includes articles that are continuously selected from more than 130 journals, through a critical appraisal process that identifies studies and systematic reviews that are scientifically strong. Articles that meet specific scientific criteria are then rated by frontline clinicians for relevance and whether there is new information they should know about.
Know what your doctor or nurse should know.
Health Evidence™
For public health questions ('improve your community’s health')
Health Evidence™ is a database that was developed for public health professionals. It includes quality-rated systematic reviews about the effectiveness of public health interventions, like immunization campaigns.
Know what your community’s medical officer of health should know.
Health Systems Evidence
For health system questions (‘improve what your health system can do for you’)
Health Systems Evidence is a database developed for managers and policymakers. It includes many types of research evidence about ways to address problems in the health system.
Know what the head of your local hospital or your member of parliament should know.
Once registered, Portal users can access all content of McMasterPLUS™ for their clinical questions (Clinician Search), Health Evidence™ for their public health questions (Public Health Professional Search), and Health Systems Evidence (Policymaker Search) for their questions about health systems. Professionals can search according to their own expertise, and can also access the other professional databases as well as the materials targeted at citizens. Likewise, citizens can search any of the professional databases.
Other features you can access once you register include:
Alerts
Subscribe to alerts to receive emails of the latest evidence from our databases on topics of interest to you.
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Use our sophisticated search engine to find the professional content that's right for you.
Search nowCitizen content
View the consumer-friendly information designed to inform citizens about a variety of health topics.
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Tell us more about yourself so we can better tailor your experience with the Portal.
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About
Support for the Portal is largely provided by the Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative. AGE-WELL is a contributing partner. Help us to continue to provide direct and easy access to evidence-based information on health and social conditions to help you stay healthy, active and engaged as you grow older. Donate Today.
