AMED is a unique bibliographic database produced by the Health Care Information Service of the British Library. It covers a selection of journals in three separate subject areas:
- several professions allied to medicine
- complementary medicine
- palliative care.
| Subject coverage | Starting date |
| Complementary medicine Physiotherapy Occupational therapy Rehabilitation Podiatry Palliative care Speech and Language Therapy | 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1997 1999 |
Records
All records have basic bibliographic information; many articles published from 1995 onwards have abstracts. Current policy is to include authors' abstracts where available.
Each record includes controlled indexing terms using the AMED Thesaurus based on MeSH (Medline indexing terms). The software provided to search AMED usually includes an option of searching using the thesaurus.
The thesaurus can also be accessed free from this site by tree (PDF format) of index terms, and as an alphabetical list (PDF format). You will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader® to view and print these files. It can be downloaded free from the Internet. If you are not allowed to do this, ask your IT department to make it available for you.
This page includes information about:
- journals indexed for AMED
- formats and availability
- help with searching AMED
- obtaining the full articles
- sample AMED references
Journals indexed for AMED
AMED covers relevant references to articles from around 596 journals, many not indexed by other biomedical sources. The scope of coverage is mainly European with the majority of titles in English. In addition to the specialist journals on AMED's subjects, a range of key general journals are checked for relevant articles.
Journal titles:
Formats and availability
AMED can be accessed: via the Internet, CD-ROM, or online. It is not available via this webpage.
Note: Members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have free access as part of their membership.
Internet
Fixed Fee
An Internet version of OVID is available. Subscriptions depend on the number of users.
Swets Blackwell Information Services. Email: info@uk.swetsblackwell.com or telephone 01235 857 500.
OVID: data is updated monthly. In the UK, email uksales@ovid.com or telephone 020 8585 6400. Outside UK, please contact your local distributor.
EBSCO: data is updated monthly. In the UK, email: custserv@epnet.com or telephone 0208 447 4200. Outside UK, please contact your local EBSCO representative or distributor.
NHS institutions
NHS professionals in England and Wales have free access to AMED via the NHSnet. Other libraries considering subscribing can get a free month's trial.
HCN offers AMED within the NHSnet in the UK as part of their MIRON service (Medical Information Resource on NHSnet).
Pay-as-you-go
Suppliers all have different pricing systems, which can be complex:
Dialog Corporation
DIMDI
GEM offers a group of databases called XMED for searching, which includes AMED. AMED cannot be searched on its own.
CD-ROM
The full AMED database can be searched using SilverPlatter or Ovid software. Features include the facility to build complex searches, and the ability to store searches. Subscription rates vary between suppliers and depend on the number of users (and in some cases if being used on a standalone or networked PC). Contact the suppliers for more details.
Suppliers:
SilverPlatter: data is updated quarterly. A free month's trial is available. It's UK distributors include:
HCN, telephone +44 (0)1420 86848. Outside UK, please contact your local SilverPlatter distributor.
Ovid Technologies: data is updated monthly. In the UK, email uksales@ovid.com or telephone +44 (0)20 8748 3777. Outside UK, please contact your local Ovid distributor.
The CD-ROM can also be used at the British Library Reading Rooms at St Pancras, and the British Library Reading Room in Yorkshire. There is no charge for use, and a small charge for printing.
Online
AMED is available for online searching at your own PC. Data is updated monthly.
Suppliers all have different pricing systems, which can be complex.
The hosts providing access are:
DIMDI
GEM offers a group of databases called XMED for searching, which includes AMED. AMED cannot be searched on its own.
Dialog Corporation provides access via both Dialog and Datastar. For search information, see the Dialog bluesheet, or the Datastar datasheet
Searched for you online
Our staff at the British Library's Research Service can search AMED for you for a fee.
Help with searching AMED
Queries about AMED indexing can be sent to Les Wilkinson.
Telephone + 44 (0)1937 546520 or email les.wilkinson@bl.uk.
If you are having problems with search software, please contact the supplier's helpdesk.
Obtaining the full articles
Most of the journals indexed are held in Document Supply at the British Library, Boston Spa. So if you find a reference to something that is not in stock locally, you can usually order a photocopy of an article by using the British Library Direct Order Form. AMED Index subscribers are also entitled to a discount to the usual prices if they are ordering items from the Index. A library which is a registered user can order photocopies more cheaply on your behalf from Document Supply Services, or organise the loan of journals for a fee.
Electronic versions of journals
An increasing number of journals are now also available via the internet, particularly those from major publishers.
The British Medical Journal offers free access to full articles via the web, but publishers of other journals usually only give access to libraries or others who have paid a subscription.
Sample AMED References
The appearance of references will vary depending on the method used to access the database. These are taken from a CD-ROM version, with a key to field names at the end.
Complementary Medicine
| TI: | Homeopathy, sensation of well-being and CD4 levels: a placebo-controlled, randomized trial |
| AU: | Kuzeff-RM |
| SO: | Complement Ther Med 1998 Mar; 6(1):4-9 |
| PY: | 1998 |
| LA: | English |
| AB: | This study asked whether homeopathy causes a greater improvement in sensation of well-being than placebo and whether it changes immune function as evidenced by CD4 levels. A number of patients were admitted to a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over study. Data were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Visual analogue scales (VAS) of "sensation of well-being" and CD4 levels were the variables which were measured. It was concluded that the study provided evidence for the ability of homeopathic prescribing to improve "sensation of well-being", and provided evidence in support of ultra-high dilution effects. The study also suggests that homeopathic medicines may affect CD4 levels. |
| DE: | HOMEOPATHY-; ANTIGENS-; ADAPTATION-PSYCHOLOGICAL |
| MT: | PLACEBOS-; CLINICAL-TRIALS |
| JN: | Complement-Ther-Med |
| AI: | AB |
| UD: | 199802 |
| AN: | 9163424 |
Physiotherapy
| TI: | Guidelines for managing falls among elderly people |
| AU: | Simpson-JM; Harrington-R; Marsh-N |
| SO: | Physiotherapy 1998 Apr; 84(4):173-7 |
| PY: | 1998 |
| LA: | English |
| AB: | Falling among elderly people is recognised as a serious problem for the health services as well as for elderly people's welfare. Nevertheless, the rehabilitative management, as opposed to the medical management, has received little systematic attention. We described the 'Guidelines for the Collaborative Rehabilitative Management of Elderly People who have Fallen'. They have been drawn up and endorsed by three organisation of specialist rehabilitation clinicians. A national audit of the implementation of these guidelines is taking place, funded by the NHS Executive. |
| DE: | ACCIDENTAL-FALLS |
| MT: | PHYSIOTHERAPY-; STANDARDS-; AGED- |
| JN: | Physiotherapy- |
| AI: | AB |
| UD: | 199802 |
| AN: | 9163675 |
Palliative care
| TI: | A multidisciplinary approach to managing breathlessness in lung cancer |
| AU: | Scullion-JE; Henry-C |
| SO: | Int J Palliat Nurs 1998 Mar-Apr; 4(2):65-9 |
| PY: | 1998 |
| LA: | English |
| AB: | Patients with lung cancer often experience symptoms, especially breathlessness, that they put down to the disease process, but which may respond to both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Breathlessness can lead to a significant impairment in the ability of a person to lead a normal life. The consequent reduction in quality of life may be experienced by the person in terms of emotional or social limitations as well as that expressed in actual physical suffering. Ahmedzai (1988) states that whilst doctors are well trained and motivated in the investigation and current management of disease, they are often unable (or reluctant) to undertake the terminal care of the same patient with equal vigour and commitment. To the patient, there is often a feeling of devastation when faced with the fact that medically there is little more that can be done for them. The following paper looking at a multidisciplinary approach to dealing with breathlessness in lung cancer aims to provide a quality of life enhancing service, to fill a perceived gap in service provision and to show that there is nearly always something that can be done. |
| DE: | RESPIRATION-DISORDERS; LUNG-NEOPLASMS |
| MT: | QUALITY-OF-LIFE; ETIOLOGY-; PALLIATIVE-TREATMENT |
| JN: | Int-J-Palliat-Nurs |
| AI: | AB |
| UD: | 199802 |
| AN: | 9163776 |
Occupational Therapy
| TI: | Methodology of home planning within interdisciplinary team |
| AU: | Bouveron-Bonnevialle-C; Rascle-P; Calmels-P |
| SO: | Int J Rehabil Res 1998 Mar; 21(1):97-102 |
| PY: | 1998 |
| LA: | English |
| AB: | The object of this paper is to present a training system on accessibility for occupational therapists based on a methodology of home planning within an interdisciplinary team. This methodology was developed within an interdisciplinary team, in partnership with disabled persons, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians and the different workers involved in accessibility. |
| DE: | HOME-CARE-SERVICES; HEALTH-SERVICES-ACCESSIBILITY |
| MT: | OCCUPATIONAL-THERAPY; REHABILITATION- |
| JN: | Int-J-Rehabil-Res |
| AI: | AB |
| UD: | 199802 |
| AN: | 9163751 |
Key
| TI AU SO PY LA AB DE, MT JN AI UD AN | title of article author(s) of article journal name and issue publication year language of article abstract AMED indexing terms journal name abstract availability date added to AMED CD-ROM unique ID on AMED |
