What kind of databases?
The COHF databases contain references (i.e. NOT full articles) to studies relating to the prevention and treatment of occupational or work-related diseases, injuries and disorders. The references have been obtained from MEDLINE and by hand searching. There are three databases: EBM studies, Before-After studies, and systematic reviews. We have separated studies that have employed a reasonably high quality methodology (randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, and interrupted time-series) from less rigorous studies (uncontrolled before-after measurement only). The adequately rigorous EBM studies can be used to facilitate decisions in patient care and policy making. The BA studies should only be used for hypothesis generation, learning about efficacy, understanding the limitations of generalizability, and gaining additional knowledge about a particular intervention. The BA studies should NOT be used to draw inferences about effectiveness.
These three databases contain references that have been classified and quality checked specifically for our databases. The EBM and Before-After studies databases currently contain references from 1992 up to 2007. References are continuously added as we progress backwards in time with our systematic searching and as, with the passing of time, new years are indexed in MEDLINE.
The databases have been constructed and published using the Web publisher function in Reference Manager 11.
The COHF databases are free to users. However, to become a user one first needs to registration The information thus gathered is not used for commercial or any other kind of purposes and will not be given to third parties in any circumstances. We need it simply for keeping track of who our users are and where they are from.