Effectiveness Matters 6(2) - DARE - University of York

EFFECTIVENESSMattersThe Databaseof Abstractsof Reviewsof Effects (DARE)■■■■■■Systematic reviews are useful tools forbusy decision-makers because theyidentify, appraise and synthesise theavailable research evidence on aparticular topic.Many thousands of systematic reviewsrelevant to health care have beenpublished. However, they can bedifficult to locate and their quality isvariable.DARE (the Database of Abstracts ofReviews of Effects) containssummaries of systematic reviewswhich have met strict quality criteria.Each summary also provides a criticalcommentary on the quality of thereview.DARE covers a broad range of healthcare related topics and can be used foranswering questions about the effectsof health care interventions, as well asfor developing clinical guidelines andpolicy making.DARE is available free of charge on theinternet (http://nhscrd.york.ac.uk), andas part of the Cochrane Library.Alternatively, DARE can be searched,on your behalf, by CRD informationstaff (tel: 01904 433707 oremail nhscrd-info@york.ac.uk).Vol 6, Issue 2, December 2002Funding for Effectiveness Matters is provided by NICE. TheNHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination is funded bythe NHS Executive and the Health Departments of Walesand Northern Ireland. The views expressed in thispublication are those of the authors and not necessarilythose of NICE, the NHS Executive or the HealthDepartments of Wales or Northern Ireland.NHS CENTRE FOR REVIEWS AND DISSEMINATION

Box 2Is paroxetine (Seroxat) effective in IrritableBowel Syndrome (IBS)?www.attract.wales.nhs.uk/question_answers.cfm?question_id=846Does Vitamin E have a role in treating orpreventing the impairment of cognitivefunction, dementia or Alzheimer’s?www.attract.wales.nhs.uk/question_answers.cfm?question_id=268Is there any evidence that laser treatmentfor myopia works, if so, who should bereferred and are there any side effects?www.attract.wales.nhs.uk/question_answers.cfm?question_id=257DARE and the Cochrane LibraryThe Cochrane Library is an electronicpublication which consists of a collection ofevidence-based medicine databases, includingthe Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews(CDSR) – systematic reviews prepared by theCochrane Collaboration which are regularlyupdated. The Cochrane Library is published ona quarterly basis.DARE is included on the Cochrane Library andcomplements the CDSR by quality-assessing andabstracting reviews which have not been carriedout by the Cochrane Collaboration. Whensearching the Cochrane Library, records fromDARE will automatically be included in thesearch results. The Internet version of theDARE database contains author abstracts ofCochrane reviews and references for protocols(i.e. reviews in preparation). There are currentlyover 2600 of these records on the database.whether such questions arise from practice orwhen making policy.DARE can be used to■■■Answer clinical practice questions. Severalexamples of how DARE has been used inthis way can be found in the archives ofATTRACT (http://www.attract.wales.nhs.uk/).ATTRACT provides rapid, evidence-basedanswers to queries from clinicians whowant to use the evidence base to informthe care of their patients, but do not havethe time to search themselves. 8DARE isone of the resources used by the ATTRACTstaff. Examples of questions which havebeen answered using DARE are shown inBox 2, together with the web addresses forthe answers given by the ATTRACT team.DARE can also be used by individualclinicians or information staff to answerclinical practice questions.Inform clinical practice guidelines.DARE is used by organisations compilingguidelines, for example the ScottishIntercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN)(http://www.sign.ac.uk/). 9Inform local policies and protocols. YorkHealth Services NHS Trust searched DAREto identify the latest research evidence forstroke services. 10This evidenceunderpinned the review and redesign ofstroke services within the Trust.Figures for the overall use of DARE are verydifficult to obtain, as the database can beaccessed by a variety of different routes.However the average number of hits on the CRDdatabases via the Internet exceed 250,000 everymonth.Box 3Accessing DAREDARE can be searched via a number ofdifferent routes:• free of charge from CRD’s websitehttp://nhscrd.york.ac.uk/welcome.htm• as part of the Cochrane LibraryThe Cochrane Library is available via theNational electronic Library for Health(access is free to UK users atwww.nelh.nhs.uk), as a CD ROM, or viainternet subscription (details athttp://www.cochrane.org).• by subscription using the Ovid productEvidence-Based Medicine Reviewshttp://www.ovid.com. This servicepackages Cochrane Reviews and DAREwith MEDLINE.• TRIP (Turning Research into Practice)databasehttp://www.tripdatabase.comThis is a free internet search service thatcovers a wide range of UK and USclinical effectiveness resources andevidence-based guidelines.

References1. Clarke M, Alderson P & Chalmers I.Discussion sections in reports of controlledtrials published in general medical journals.JAMA 2002; 287: 2799-2801.2. NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination.Undertaking systematic reviews of researchon effectiveness: CRD’s guidance for thosecarrying out or commissioning reviews.York: University of York, NHS Centre forReviews and Dissemination; 2001.CRD Report Number 4 (2nd edition).3. Mulrow CD. Systematic Reviews: Rationalefor systematic reviews. BMJ 1994; 309:597-99.4. Boynton J, Glanville J, McDaid D,Lefebvre C. Identifying systematic reviewsin MEDLINE: developing an objectiveapproach to search strategy design. Journalof Information Science 1998;24:137-157.5. Petticrew M, Song F, Wilson P, Wright K.Quality-assessed reviews of health careinterventions and the database of abstractsof reviews of effectiveness (DARE).International Journal of TechnologyAssessment in Health Care 1999; 15:671-678.6. A meta-analytic review of the effect ofexercise on smoking cessation. [Abstract983857] Database of Abstracts of Reviewsof Effects, available athttp://nhscrd.york.ac.uk/welcome.htm[2002, 7th November.]. Abstract of:A meta-analytic review of the effect ofexercise on smoking cessation. Nishi N,Jenicek M, Tatara K. Journal ofEpidemiology 1998; 8(2): 79-84.7. Sedation in the intensive care unit:a systematic review.[Abstract 20008202] Database of Abstractsof Reviews of Effects, available athttp://nhscrd.york.ac.uk/welcome.htm[2002, 25th November]. Abstract of:Sedation in the intensive care unit: asystematic review. Ostermann ME, KeenanSD, Seiferling RA, Sibbald WJ. JAMA 2000;283:1451-1459.8. About ATTRACT available athttp://www.attract.wales.nhs.uk/about/one.htm accessed 13th August 2002.9. Appraising the quality of clinical guidelines.The SIGN guide to the AGREE guidelineappraisal instrument. Available athttp://www.sign.ac.uk/methodology/agreeguide/agree/notes6.html accessed31st October 2002.10.York Health Services NHS Trust. TheManagement of Stroke CASE Reports 2000;2(1).AcknowledgementsThis bulletin was written and produced by staffat the NHS Centre for Reviews andDissemination, University of York.Effectiveness Matters acknowledges thefollowing who commented on the text:■■Caroline Keir, West Yorkshire ChiefExecutives' ForumDee Kyle, Bradford South & West PrimaryCare Trust■Jon Brassey, TRIP Database■Carol Lefebvre, UK Cochrane Centre■Peter Clappison, Department of Health■Ian Watt, University of York■Mike Clarke, UK Cochrane Centre■Alison Weightman, Health EvidenceBulletins WalesFURTHER INFORMATIONIf you would like further information please contact:General Enquiries: 01904 433634Information Service(including databases): 01904 433707Publications: 01904 433648Fax: 01904 433661Email:revdis@york.ac.ukUniversity of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD.NHS CENTRE FORREVIEWS AND DISSEMINATIONPromoting the applicationof research-based knowledgein health care.