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. 2007 Oct 11:2007:801-5.

Indexing of diagnosis accuracy studies in MEDLINE and EMBASE

Nancy L Wilczynski  1 , R Brian Haynes
Affiliations

Indexing of diagnosis accuracy studies in MEDLINE and EMBASE

Nancy L Wilczynski et al. AMIA Annu Symp Proc. .

Abstract

Background: STAndards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) were published in 2003 and endorsed by some journals but not others.

Objective: To determine whether the quality of indexing of diagnostic accuracy studies in MEDLINE and EMBASE has improved since the STARD statement was published.

Design: Evaluate the change in the mean number of "accurate index terms" assigned to diagnostic accuracy studies, comparing STARD (endorsing) and non-STARD (non-endorsing) journals, for 2 years before and after STARD publication.

Results: In MEDLINE, no differences in indexing quality were found for STARD and non-STARD journals before or after the STARD statement was published in 2003. In EMBASE, indexing in STARD journals improved compared with non-STARD journals (p = 0.02). However, articles in STARD journals had half the number of accurate indexing terms as articles in non-STARD journals, both before and after STARD statement publication (p < 0.001).

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Study design
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References

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