On this page
Selected Databases
Given the interdisciplinary nature of health sciences, it may be necessary to identify subject areas outside of health topics. Search several different databases for the most comprehensive search results. We have selected some of our databases to highlight for different subject areas below in addition to the Key Resources on the Get Started page.
- Environmental Health
- Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary
- Health Policy
- Business
- Engineering, Computer Science
Think about telehealth, it might involve policies, technology or engineering, usability studies and of course health outcomes. Coverage on telehealth could be found in publications for each of these disciplines, therefore multiple databases may be needed.
Explore other databases beyond PubMed below.
- PubMed (NU customized)A comprehensive source of journal literature in the life sciences and biomedicine from the National Library of Medicine. Includes selected full text from PubMed Central, and NCBI Bookshelf. PubMed is a free web resource, however this version contains links to Northeastern-subscribed journals that require a login.
Behavioral, Social Science
- Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowA select collection of full-text articles in psychology from chiefly peer-reviewed journals.
- PsycInfo (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowAmerican Psychological Associations flagship PsycINFO database includes citations and abstracts of peer reviewed articles, books, and dissertations. Coverage from 1888 to the present. Full text links for Northeastern-subscribed materials.
- Social Sciences Premium Collection (Proquest) This link opens in a new windowScholarly and professional citations and abstracts with full text links in politics and public policy, sociology, social services, anthropology, criminology, linguistics, information sciences and education. Professional society databases included.
- HAPI (Health and Psychosocial Instruments)(EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowInformation about behavioral measurement instruments, abstracted from hundreds of leading journals covering health sciences and psychosocial sciences.
Environmental Health
- GreenFILE (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowDrawing on the connection between the environment and disciplines such as agriculture, education, law, health and technology, GreenFILE is an informative resource containing nearly 300,000 records, with full text for selected titles, and searchable cited references with library links for more than 200 additional titles
- PFAS Tox Databasean interactive and publicly available systematic evidence map of over 700 in vitro, animal, and human studies that examine health outcomes related to PFAS exposure
- PFAS dedicated guidefor tips from librarians on PFAS searching
Multi-disciplinary
- Web of Science, All Databases This link opens in a new windowUse this link for access to citation tracking and subject searching of scholarly literature. Data visualizations, alerts, and journal impact factors. Includes the Web of Science Core Collection. One of the largest curated databases of scholarly research, with citations in some subjects from 1900 to the present.
- Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowScholarly, peer-reviewed articles and professional association publications, Abstracts and links to full text, about half are peer reviewed, covering all academic subjects including STEM fields.
Use this link if you want to include video clips (Opens in new window) from the Associated Press in your search results. - CQ Researcher This link opens in a new windowIn-depth, authoritative reports on political and social-policy issues extending back to 1923. Each report is footnoted and includes an overview, background section, chronology, bibliography and debate-style pro-con feature.
Education, Technology, Legal, Global
- Engineering Village This link opens in a new windowCombines the citations and full text links of Compendex and Inspec with full text books from Knovel, for a more comprehensive search on computer science and engineering topics.
- Gale In Context: Global Issues This link opens in a new windowCourtesy of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the Massachusetts Library System
Global Issues in Context offers international viewpoints on a broad spectrum of global issues, topics, and current events. - Education Research Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowPeer-reviewed journals in education, most with full text. Topics covered include all levels of education from early childhood to higher education, and all educational specialties, such as multilingual education, health education, and testing.
Populations and Groups
- AgeLine (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowAgeLine focuses on those aged 50+ and the literature of social gerontology. Covers aging-related content from the health sciences, psychology, sociology, social work, economics, and public policy.
- What this includes: over 600 journals, books, book chapters, reports, dissertations, consumer guides, and educational videos..
- GenderWatch (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowFull articles from women's studies magazines and newsletters (including some that are hard to find in print), as well as some scholarly journals. Some articles go back to the 1970's.
Health Policy, Business, Administration
- Business Source Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowScholarly, peer-reviewed articles and professional association news and information, the majority in full text. Some video.
- Health Administration Database (Proquest) This link opens in a new windowCollection of 800 key journals plus dissertation and other publications covering the field of health administration: management, insurance, ethics, and more. Mostly full text or with links to full text for Northeastern-subscribed materials.
- Policy Commons This link opens in a new windowReports, working papers, policy briefs, data sources, and media drawn from a directory of more than 21,000 IGOs, NGOs, think tanks, and research centers.
- PolicyFile This link opens in a new windowU.S. foreign and domestic policy papers and gray literature, PolicyFile is updated weekly with abstracts and links to the latest reports, papers, and documents from think tanks, research institutes, and agencies.
Alternative, Complentary Health
- Alt-HealthWatch (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowInternational, and often peer-reviewed journals and reports on complementary, holistic and integrated approaches to health care and wellness.
- What this includes: Articles, pamplets, reports, book excerpts
- Natural Medicines This link opens in a new windowHigh quality, evidence-based information about complementary and alternative therapies.
- CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowCINAHL (Cumultaive Index to Nursing and Allied Health) covers nursing publications but also includes many Allied Health Topics such as physical therapy, accupuncture, etc.
Google Scholar?
When should Google Scholar be used? The answer is that it depends, The linked tutorial here will give you more information. One main thing to think about is that we can't always know what is included or excluded in Google products.
- Google Scholar Overview and Search StrategiesGoogle Scholar is a Search Engine not a database. Learn more about how and when to use it in this tutorial.