title: Searching for disability in electronic databases of published literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As researchers in disability and health conduct systematic reviews with greater frequency, the definition of disability used in these reviews gains importance. Translating a comprehensive conceptual definition of "disability" into an operational definition that utilizes electronic databases in the health sciences is a difficult step necessary for performing systematic literature reviews in the field. Consistency of definition across studies will help build a body of evidence that is comparable and amenable to synthesis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To illustrate a process for operationalizing the World Health Organization's International Classification of Disability, Functioning, and Health concept of disability for MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We created an electronic search strategy in conjunction with a reference librarian and an expert panel. Quality control steps included comparison of search results to results of a search for a specific disabling condition and to articles nominated by the expert panel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The complete search strategy is presented. Results of the quality control steps indicated that our strategy was sufficiently sensitive and specific.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our search strategy will be valuable to researchers conducting literature reviews on broad populations with disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, OR, USA. Electronic address: Emily.S.Walsh@kpchr.org.
authors.forename: Emily S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Jana J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Dolores Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Judkins
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D064702:International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; D016239:MEDLINE; D011786:Quality Control; D012107:Research Design; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D057386:Search Engine; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Disability; Methods; Systematic review