Database use in psychiatric research: An international review

Objective: Whilst database use for the purposes of audit is well established amongst clinicians, their research potential has yet to be fully realised. This review provides an international perspective on research using databases in psychiatry, considering the advantages and constraints of their use...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe European journal of psychiatry Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 19 - 30
Main Authors HIGGINS, Nicola, HOWARD, Louise
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Portuguese
Published Saragosse INO 01.03.2005
Universidad de Zaragoza
Subjects
Behavioral Sciences
Biological and medical sciences
Medical sciences
Methodology. Experimentation
Neurosciences
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Techniques and methods
Social environment
Research field
Methodology
Psychotropic
Toxicity
Mental health
Review
Cost benefit analysis
Maternal diseases
Suicide
Epidemiology
Etiology
Scientific research
Database
Public health
International
Human
Use
Pharmacology
Chemotherapy
Treatment
Public health organization
Mental disorder
Typology
Comparative study
Research design
Research
Psychiatry
Health services research
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Summary:Objective: Whilst database use for the purposes of audit is well established amongst clinicians, their research potential has yet to be fully realised. This review provides an international perspective on research using databases in psychiatry, considering the advantages and constraints of their use. Method: Large databases used in psychiatric research were identified through a systematic search of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases. The types of research conducted with these databases were then grouped into categories for discussion. A narrative synthesis of results is presented, illustrated with examples. Results: Research identified included pharmacoepidemiology, perinatal, aetiological, suicidology and health service research. Conclusions: Databases have been used to address a range of questions in psychiatry, often by employing linkage between clinical and national administrative databases. The success of such research is not only dependent on appropriate methodology and database design, but also on clinician commitment to data entry. Further exploitation of linkage potential between databases is envisaged, alongside international development of clinical databases designed with the purpose of research in mind.
ISSN:0213-6163
2340-4469
0213-6163
DOI:10.4321/S0213-61632005000100002