Searching for relevant studies to answer a specific research question may require sifting through numerous database records. In order to prevent the screening process becoming too time-consuming, systematic literature reviewers may decide to use search filters. A search filter is a fixed set of terms used to identify records that share a certain feature (for example, study design). The quality and validity of a search filter depends on how well it identifies records that are relevant (sensitivity) and how well it excludes records that are not (specificity).

As part of its strive for continuous quality improvement in light of its ISO 9001:2015 certification, our initiator, the Centre for Evidence-Based Practice (CEBaP), has validated and optimized its search filters. It concerns the filters for the identification of systematic reviews, intervention studies and obervational studies in the field of first aid when using the PubMed and Embase.com interfaces of the Medline and Embase databases. Use of these validated filters will increase the quality of future first aid-related literature searches.

The full publication, that includes the validated search filters, can be consulted here.