GenderMedDB: an interactive database of sex and gender-specific medical literature.

Sabine Oertelt-Prigione,Björn-Oliver Gohlke,Robert Preissner,Vera Regitz-Zagrosek,Mathias Dunkel

doi:10.1186/2042-6410-5-7

Abstract

BackgroundSearches for sex and gender-specific publications are complicated by the absence of a specific algorithm within search engines and by the lack of adequate archives to collect the retrieved results. We previously addressed this issue by initiating the first systematic archive of medical literature containing sex and/or gender-specific analyses. This initial collection has now been greatly enlarged and re-organized as a free user-friendly database with multiple functions: GenderMedDB (http://gendermeddb.charite.de).DescriptionGenderMedDB retrieves the included publications from the PubMed database. Manuscripts containing sex and/or gender-specific analysis are continuously screened and the relevant findings organized systematically into disciplines and diseases. Publications are furthermore classified by research type, subject and participant numbers. More than 11,000 abstracts are currently included in the database, after screening more than 40,000 publications. The main functions of the database include searches by publication data or content analysis based on pre-defined classifications. In addition, registrants are enabled to upload relevant publications, access descriptive publication statistics and interact in an open user forum.ConclusionsOverall, GenderMedDB offers the advantages of a discipline-specific search engine as well as the functions of a participative tool for the gender medicine community.

Highlights

Searches for sex and gender-specific publications are complicated by the absence of a specific algorithm within search engines and by the lack of adequate archives to collect the retrieved results
Overall, GenderMedDB offers the advantages of a discipline-specific search engine as well as the functions of a participative tool for the gender medicine community
This archive has been transformed in an interactive database, GenderMedDB, which enables the retrieval of pre-selected publications that contain sex and genderspecific analyses

Summary

Conclusions

GenderMedDB offers both the functions of a search engine and a participative structure to include all interested stakeholders in the field of gender medicine. We foresee that GenderMedDB will significantly support the development of a common knowledge base in the field of gender medicine. Authors’ contributions SOP designed the database and website, collected and analysed the data and wrote the manuscript. BOG developed the database, designed the website and wrote the manuscript. MD developed the database and supervised data processing. RP designed the database and reviewed the manuscript. VRZ supervised the database development, reviewed the manuscript and acquired funding for the project. Oertelt-Prigione S, Parol R, Krohn S, Preissner R, Regitz-Zagrosek V: Analysis of sex and gender-specific research reveals a common increase in publications and marked differences between disciplines. Regitz-Zagrosek V: Sex and gender differences in health. Doi:10.1186/2042-6410-5-7 Cite this article as: Oertelt-Prigione et al.: GenderMedDB: an interactive database of sex and gender-specific medical literature.

Background

Findings

Regitz-Zagrosek V