Ryan Library subscribes to over 80 Reference Databases. These subscription-based resources are provided to the PLNU community for online access to journal and magazine articles and/or citations. Sign in with your usual PLNU username and password.
For Occupational Therapy research, try these:
This clinical search engine allows users to quickly find high-quality research evidence to support practice or care. It also searches for images, videos, and patient education handouts.
Secondary Resources
Provides resources by practice area and contains peer-reviewed Critically Appraised Papers (CAPs).
Evidence-based clinical decision support resource divided into Adult and Pediatric groups. Also includes patient information resources and graphics.
Review the A-Z databases list to see all PLNU databases.
InterLibrary Loan allows members of the PLNU community to request articles from another library.
Before you request an article, complete the following steps (in this order) to verify that the article is not available at PLNU:
Do you work or attend classes at a PLNU location other than the main campus? Use the Interlibrary Loan form to request books or articles from PLNU's Ryan Library.
Scholarly research articles usually have 5 main sections plus a list of references:
Primary Sources serve as a record of first-hand experience, including the collection and analysis of data. Just like diaries share an author's personal life, research articles describe the author's own studies or other work.
Secondary Sources report, describe, or analyze someone else's original work without conducting additional data collection or analysis of new information. Books and articles that present overviews or summaries of previous research are usually secondary sources.
This site offers easy-to-understand health and medical information. In addition to diseases and conditions, the site has a number of healthy living guides and helpful resources such as Health Tools, Treatment Decision Guides and Ask a Specialist.
The National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) is the library of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). We collect, catalog, and disseminate the articles, reports, curricula, guides, and other publications and products of the research projects funded by NIDILRR. NIDILRR funds more than 250 projects each year that conduct research on a wide range of issues including technology, health and function, independent living, and capacity building.
OTseeker is a database that contains abstracts of systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and other resources relevant to occupational therapy interventions. Most trials have been critically appraised for their validity and interpretability. In one database, OTseeker provides fast and easy access to information from a wide range of sources to inform occupational therapy.
PEDro is the Physiotherapy Evidence Database, a free database of over 44,000 randomised trials, systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines in physiotherapy. For each trial, review or guideline, PEDro provides the citation details, the abstract and a link to the full text, where possible. All trials on PEDro are independently assessed for quality. These quality ratings are used to quickly guide users to trials that are more likely to be valid and to contain sufficient information to guide clinical practice. PEDro is produced by the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, School of Public Health at the University of Sydney and is hosted by Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA).
REHAB+ provides a new path to address the key question in this era of evidence-based health care: what is the current best evidence available to support clinical decisions?
Features many articles on back and neck pain and treatments including physical therapy. All the articles are peer-reviewed.
Resource on wheelchairs.
Consumer information on Physical Therapy.
Each topic page has links to authoritative information on that subject, as well as linking to a MEDLINE search to retrieve journal article citations (with some links to the full-text articles).
Also see the EBSCOhost Medline database.
Information on resources dealing with rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy.
Consumer & Patient Health Information. Web sites you can trust. A detailed directory of recommended Web sites.
Martindale's Health Science Guide
A mega-site with many tools for students: journals, dictionaries, case information. Also gives provider guidelines, shows how to give exams, and gives lab diagnostics and protocols.
"Users can access quality, peer-reviewed teaching material and assessment tools in both the basic and clinical sciences in medicine and in oral health. With MedEdPORTAL, users can download or access the majority of the published resources directly from the website. Published authors retain their original copyrights and indicate on the MedEdPORTAL website how others may use the materials."
Provides research, databases, and news surrounding health-related issues.
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (Multiple databases)
AOTA Systematic Review Collection
NCOA (National Council on Aging)
"We were the first national voice for older adults. We helped end mandatory retirement. We advocated to secure Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act. Local organizations turned to us for support as they served older adults every day. And we built digital tools that empower older adults with knowledge."
"An occupational therapy podcast helping you stay up to date on new OT research."
Everyday Evidence Podcast (AOTA)
"Everyday Evidence presents research straight from the source by featuring interviews with experts in the field of occupational therapy."
Student Articles for Students (AOTA):
Fieldwork, Job search, NBCOT, School tips, Student leadership and advocacy.
SIS Quarterly Practice Connections
"A supplement to OT Practice, the SIS Quarterly Practice Connections acts as a bridge between the American Journal of Occupational Therapy and OT Practice by applying research and other evidence to occupation-centered practice. AOTA's Special Interest Sections (SISs) select the themes and articles that provide guidance on high-priority and emerging areas of practice."
"Explore the many ways you can feed your creativity, fuel your purpose, and broaden your knowledge. AOTA offers a wide variety of educational programs, events, conferences, and more that are specially created to help you connect with your profession and realize your full potential."
AOTA Knowledge Transition Toolkit
"Learn to find and apply research to practice, share your knowledge with others, and influence positive change in your organization."