Skip to content Skip to navigation
University of Warwick
  • Study
  • |
  • Research
  • |
  • Business
  • |
  • Alumni
  • |
  • News
  • |
  • About

University of Warwick
Publications service & WRAP

Highlight your research

  • WRAP
    • Home
    • Search WRAP
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse WRAP by Year
    • Browse WRAP by Subject
    • Browse WRAP by Department
    • Browse WRAP by Funder
    • Browse Theses by Department
  • Publications Service
    • Home
    • Search Publications Service
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse Publications service by Year
    • Browse Publications service by Subject
    • Browse Publications service by Department
    • Browse Publications service by Funder
  • Help & Advice
University of Warwick

The Library

  • Login
  • Admin

A technical review of three clinical trials register resources indicates where improvements to the search interfaces are needed

Tools
- Tools
+ Tools

Cooper, Chris, Court, Rachel A., Kotas, Eleanor and Schauberger, Ute (2021) A technical review of three clinical trials register resources indicates where improvements to the search interfaces are needed. Research Synthesis Methods, 12 (3). pp. 384-393. doi:10.1002/jrsm.1477 ISSN 1759-2879.

[img]
Preview
PDF
WRAP-technical-review-three-clinical-trials-register-resources-indicates-improvements-search-interfaces-needed-Court-2021.pdf - Accepted Version - Requires a PDF viewer.

Download (2186Kb) | Preview
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1477

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

Clinical trials registers form an important part of the search for studies in systematic reviews of intervention effectiveness but the search interfaces and functionality of registers can be challenging to search systematically and resource intensive to search well.

We report a technical review of the search interfaces of three leading trials register resources: ClinicalTrials.gov, the EU Clinical Trials Register and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registers Platform. The technical review used a validated checklist to identify areas where the search interfaces of these trials register resources performed well, where performance was adequate, where performance was poor, and to identify differences between search interfaces.

The review found low overall scores for each of the interfaces (ClinicalTrials.gov 55/165, the EU Clinical Trials Register 25/165, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registers Platform 32/165). This finding suggests a need for joined‐up dialogue between the producers of the registers and researchers who search them via these interfaces. We also set out a series of four proposed changes which might improve the search interfaces.

Trials registers are an invaluable resource in systematic reviews of intervention effectiveness. With the continued growth in systematic reviews, and initiatives such as ‘AllTrials’, there is an anticipated need for these resources. We conclude that small changes to the search interfaces, and improved dialogue with providers, might improve the future search functionality of these valuable resources.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: R Medicine > R Medicine (General)
Divisions: Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences
Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Clinical trials, Clinical trials -- Data processing, Clinical trials -- Reporting
Journal or Publication Title: Research Synthesis Methods
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
ISSN: 1759-2879
Official Date: 4 May 2021
Dates:
DateEvent
4 May 2021Published
8 February 2021Available
1 February 2021Accepted
Volume: 12
Number: 3
Page Range: pp. 384-393
DOI: 10.1002/jrsm.1477
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Reuse Statement (publisher, data, author rights): This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Cooper, C., Court, R., Kotas, E. and Schauberger, U. (2021), A technical review of three clinical trials register resources indicates where improvements to the search interfaces are needed. Res Syn Meth. Accepted Author Manuscript. , which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1477. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Date of first compliant deposit: 16 February 2021
Date of first compliant Open Access: 8 February 2022
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
UNSPECIFIEDNational Institute for Health Researchhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000272
UNSPECIFIEDHealth Technology Assessment programmehttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000664
Is Part Of: 1

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics

twitter

Email us: wrap@warwick.ac.uk
Contact Details
About Us