he National Information Center on Health Services Research & Health Care Technology (NICHSR) Health Services and Sciences Research Resources (HSRR) database is now available on the NLM Web site at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nichsr/hsrr_search/.

The HSRR database contains descriptions of about 300 research datasets, over 55 instruments/indices, and more than 20 software applications that are frequently used in health services research and in the behavioral and social sciences. These research-oriented tools may be used to assess data variables and data collection methodologies.

The database default is to search all tools (i.e., datasets, instruments, and software). Alternatively, each type of tool can be searched separately or browsed by title or source. Any word or phrase can be searched in more than thirty fields. Use the Help link located next to the Search button for basic search help (see Figure 1).

 

Search results are presented by tool type (see Figure 2).

 

The HSRR record format content varies depending on the research tool being discussed. See Figures 3, 4, and 5 for examples of records for the different tools. Most records include a purpose and a description of the tool, official dataset or instrument titles, source and source Internet links, methods used for data collection, population and geographic regions, unit of analysis, sample design, variables, references, related tools, and contact and vendor information. Whenever possible records also include links to preformatted PubMed searches that retrieve citations about the tool found in HSRR.

Currently, NICHSR has concentrated on describing data sets, instruments/indices and software collected regularly by federal government agencies. In the future, additional state resource data will be added.

 

 

 

How to Access the HSRR Database
The HSRR database is available directly at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nichsr/hsrr_search/. It is also accessible from the NICHSR homepage from the Databases link and from the NLM home page - click on Health Information and then on databases under Health Services Research & Health Care Technology.

Contact Information
Please send your comments or questions about HSRR to custserv@nlm.nih.gov.

By Nadine Benton
MEDLARS Management Section

Benton N. Health Services and Sciences Research Resources (HSRR) Database. NLM Tech Bull. 2002 Nov-Dec;(329):e2.