Expanded Search Functionality for HSRProj Database

Beginning August 25, 2014 Health Services Research Projects in Progress (HSRProj), the database of on-going projects related to health services research, has a new search engine. The interface features a clustering technology that allows the end user to narrow and expand the search strategy quickly by selecting data from specific fields within the larger search.

The database contains structured descriptions of health services research projects. Each record includes information about project funder (Supporting Agency) and investigator(s), as well as a project abstract and other descriptors. Information about project funding has been included since early 2014.

HSRProj offers a variety of methods to find the information required. The basic search feature (see Figure 1) allows searching of the projects’ various fields. Each project is also assigned MeSH headings. Users can search on MeSH headings by inputting the appropriate MeSH terms. Currently, it is not possible to limit to the MeSH field, nor does the database map or explode terms.

The new advanced search screen has added the ability to narrow the search by country of the organization performing the research (see Figure 2).

Whether conducting a simple search or an advanced one, the clusters on the left side of the screen allow the end user to narrow the search quickly and provide the number of hits retrieved once the search is narrowed (see Figure 3).

Even after a search has been narrowed, HSRProj allows the end user to eliminate some of the limits without losing all of the work. Just click on the “X” beside the term or terms to delete from the search strategy in the Refinements line, and the results will change accordingly (see Figure 4).

Should the end user misspell a search word, HSRProj attempts to suggest a new term based on an extensive mapping feature.

The database currently contains over 20,000 records, starting in the early 1990s. The new search engine makes it easier than ever to constrain the search to recently funded ”ongoing” projects, to “completed” projects (within 5 years from project end date) or “archived” projects (beyond 5 years from project end date).

Please send comments or questions to nichsr@nlm.nih.gov.