Advertisement

Professional essay writing service

Explore the Best Medical and Health Research Topics Ideas

Updated Aug 2021 In such a complex and broad field as medicine, writing an original and compelling research paper is a daunting task. From investigating public care concerns to cancer treatment studies, each student decides where his interests lie. Our goal is to help students find new angles to study and focus on relevant topics. With our resources, you can write an engaging and rigorous paper.

How to Choose Medical Research Paper Topics

Choosing good research paper topics is often more challenging than the writing process itself. You need to select a captivating subject matter that will grab the reader’s attention, showcase your knowledge of a specific field, help you progress in your studies, and perhaps even inspire future research.

Research Paper Topics

To accomplish that, you need to start with brainstorming, followed by thorough research. Here are some great tips to follow:

To help you on that quest, we’ve compiled a list of topics that you could use or that might inspire you to come up with something unique. Let’s dive in.

New Medical Research Paper Topics

Are you interested in the newest and most interesting developments in medicine? We put hours of effort into identifying the current trends in health research so we could provide you with these examples of topics. Whether you hire a research paper writing service for students  or write a paper by yourself, you need an appealing topic to focus on.

Medical Research Topics for College Students

literature review topics healthcare

You don’t know where to start with your medical research paper? There are so many things you could write about that the greatest challenge is to narrow them down. This is why we decided to help.

Controversial Medical Topics for Research Paper

In healthcare, new discoveries can change people’s lives in the blink of an eye. This is also the reason why there are so many controversial topics in medicine, which involve anything from religion to ethics or social responsibility. Read on to discover our top controversial research topics.

Health Research Topics

Students conducting health research struggle with finding good ideas related to their medical interests. If you want to write interesting college papers, you can select a good topic for our list.

Medicine Research Topics

Regardless of the requirements in your research assignment, you can write about something that is both engaging and useful in your future career. Choose a topic from below.

Healthcare Research Topics

Healthcare research includes political and social aspects, besides medical. For college students who want to explore how medicine is affected by society’s values or principles, we provide examples of topics for papers. Select yours from the list below.

Public Health Research Topics

For current examples of public health topics, browse our list. We provide only original, researchable examples for which you can easily find supporting data and evidence.

Mental Health Research Paper Topics

Mental health is one of the most complex areas of medicine, where things are never as clear as with other medical issues. This increases the research potential of the field with plenty of topics left for debate.

Anatomy Research Topics

Anatomy covers everything about the human body and how it works. If you find that intriguing and want to pay for medical research paper , start by selecting a topic.

Biomedical Research Topics

Biology and medicine often work together. For the newest changes in the biomedical field, check our topics.

Bioethics Research Topics

A controversial area of medicine, bioethics is where you get the chance to add personal input to a research topic and come up with new insights. You could consider these subjects.

Cancer Research Topics

Are you writing a paper related to cancer causes, diagnosis, treatment or effects? Look below for a hot topic that it’s easy to research and important for medical advance.

Clinical Research Topics

Learn more about clinical medicine by conducting more in-depth research. We prepared for you a list of relevant issues to touch upon.

Critical Care Research Topics

Critical care is a key area in medical studies. Explore these topics in your research paper to gain more valuable knowledge in this field. You can also get in contact with nursing research paper writers .

Pediatric Research Topics

Any topic that refers to health care for children, pregnant women, mothers, and adolescents goes under pediatric care.

Dental Research Topics Ideas

Choose a topic on oral health or dental care from this list of the most interesting topics in the field.

Dermatology Research Topics

Find the best research topic for your dermatology paper among our examples.

Primary Care Research Topics

Write a primary care paper that can demonstrate your research skills and interest in powerful scientific findings.

Pharmaceutical Research Topics

Pharma students who need paper topics can use one from our list. We include all things related to pharmacy life.

Medical Anthropology Research Topics

Medical anthropology unites different areas of human knowledge. Find powerful ideas for a paper below.

Paramedic Research Paper Topics

Topics for paramedic research must be based on evidence, data, statistics, or practical experience. Just like ours.

Surgery Research Topics

Discover all the intricacies of surgeries that save lives by writing about our topics.

Radiology Research Paper Topics

Find a radiology topic related to your academic interests to write a successful paper.

Anatomy and Physiology Research Paper Topics

Any ideas for a medical research paper? We have included the most important topics for an anatomy and physiology paper.

Healthcare Management Research Paper Topics

There are numerous topics you could write about when it comes to healthcare management. There’s a wide range of options to pick, from infrastructure, staff, and financial management to HR and patient management. Here are some of the top healthcare management research paper options.

Medical Ethics Research Paper Topics

Medical ethics is a field that opens the door to numerous compelling topics for research papers. Here are some of the most appealing ones you could tackle.

If you need further assistance with your medical research paper, StudyClerk is here for you. Our expert writers can provide you with top-notch research and help you write an impressive paper. Contact us anytime, pick your writer, tell them more about your topic, and get a unique, plagiarism-free research paper with impeccable grammar and formatting.

Order your paper now!

Related Posts

literature review topics healthcare

OnlineNursingPapers

Nursing Literature Review Topics And Examples

Nursing is one of the careers that call for significant and up-to-date research. This profession primarily necessitates qualitative, up-to-date research that discusses in depth the aspects influencing the behavior of a particular disease. Research is the only method by which experts can find a cure for an ailment. Researchers and students, therefore, must find the appropriate nursing literature review topics.

A nursing literature review can focus on the behavioral or physical part of the condition. It is crucial to have a competent mentor in nursing literature reviews to select the correct topic for your research.

Here you’ll find some nursing literature review topics to help you narrow down your search.

Top Tips for doing your literature review

Choose a fascinating topic.

Choosing fascinating topics for a literature review in nursing might sound quite obvious but it helps make a massive difference in keeping you motivated and interested in writing your literature review. In the nursing area you are interested in, select a specific question that you will seek to answer.

Choose a topic other people will be interested to learn about. This way, you will research and refrain from other irrelevant questions and form an appealing and intriguing question you can provide answers to.

Be selective

Do not just pick any piece of literature out there related to your nursing literature review topic. Not every data available, although related to your case, is relevant. Only select more information pertinent to your selected literature review on nursing topics.

9/10 nursing literature review questions can be answered by conducting simple research. If the question is about evaluating a treatment approach, then the viable option should be quantitive research. Qualitative research could be more appropriate in cases where the question is quite explorative.

You always remember that understanding the type of literature you need to use is crucial in writing your literature review. It will be wise to discuss the details with your instructor. Carefully examine the type of literature that will be most useful to your literature review. Once you understand what you should look for exactly, you will be good to go.

Nursing Literature Review Topics

Make the library your friend

Schedule frequent library sessions and learn more about the subject, particularly your chosen topics for literature review in nursing. Most institutions have sections for students’ thesis and dissertations, which should be easier to find.

Identify the publications you will research. You can visit the academic library website and skim through the different sections and discover the most relevant ones to the topics you are interested in.

At this point, you are almost ready to get started. You should now know where to source the relevant databases both online and in the library. The rule of thumb is to use offline and online research publications to write your nursing literature review paper. Sometimes, some key details might be missing in the online databases and vice versa.

Go through the abstracts of relevant articles that have been published before

Only review the relevant articles since this will save you time and energy in the long run. When going through the abstracts, note the articles you deem relevant. Remember to be conscientious about the kind of articles you take note of. Ditch any papers that are not relevant, no matter how well-written they might seem. The same goes for relevant articles. You must review them.

Have a list of the article you deem relevant to your nursing literature review topic. If you are an undergraduate, ten articles should be good to get you started. A higher number of articles will mean that you won’t get into many details of the articles, and fewer articles translate to inadequate research.

If you have no other choice, then you will need to improvise. You can refine the nursing paper topics to match the articles you have collected. When you have a long list of articles, you can always reduce the scope of your nursing literature review question. For example, you can limit your focus to only one country or even one state.

The next step is to assess the quality of the content of the articles you have. Sometimes a paper can be relevant to your nursing literature review topic or question, but it might be of poor quality. That is why you should employ a critical appraisal method that is unique to the research design of your paper. This could mean that you will have to use other essential appraisal methods if your literature review question requires you to access a wide variety of literature.

You can talk to your instructor. Using the critical appraisal method, you can see the limitations and strengths of the data you have collected and the level of influence each article has had on your final literature review paper.

Review all the articles together and list down the answers to your question

A pro tip is to create a chart of the main topics you come across as you read through the articles, the authors, and the strengths and weaknesses. You will then see what issues are recurrent in most of the articles.

By doing this, you will notice the clear picture and pattern in the literature, and you will be able to formulate an answer to your question quickly. That does not mean that the answer will always be perfect. You might need to make further adjustments.

Whatever final answer you come up with, make sure it is supported by the evidence collected. you should not have a solution that none of the facts you collected in the literature is answering

Community Nursing literature review Topics

Writing about community services is quite a tricky task. You might need help from an expert to help you nail your nursing literature review. Here are community nursing literature review topics.

Top Nursing Literature Review Topics

Health Organizations’ nursing literature review topics

Here are a few good nursing literature review topics about health organizations

Elderly Personsnursing literature review Topics

Healthcare Management Nursing Literature Review Topics

Geriatric Nursing Literature review Topics

Pediatric Nursing literature review topics

Quantitative Nursing literature review Topics

Child Nursing Literature Review Topics

Nursing Careers literature review Topics

The Bottom Line

Nursing is a serious occupation, and you need to be as professional as possible. ​Nursing literature review ideas​ can be pretty challenging to come up with. Writing a nursing literature review is simple but not easy. It all begins by selecting appropriate nursing literature review topics and getting down to relevant and accurate research.

Choose ​nursing literature review topics​ that you are familiar with, as this will ensure that you will spend less time doing the research and more time writing. The tips and comprehensive list of nursing literature review topics should get you started. You can even modify them so that they fit you perfectly. Should you get stuck with writing your nursing literature review, do not fret. You can always get help from professional nursing literature review experts.

Why We Are the Best

literature review topics healthcare

FGCU Logo

FGCU Alert: ALL CLEAR. FGCU’s Alert System Test is now complete. Stay Informed! Download the FGCU RAVE Guardian Eagle App to chat or send photos to UPD Dispatch in real time. .

Research methods in healthcare: ihs 4504.

What is a literature review?

Literature Review: A literature review gives an overview of the field of inquiry: what has already been said on the topic, who the key writers are, what the prevailing theories and hypotheses are, what questions are being asked, and what methodologies and methods are appropriate and useful.

A critical literature review shows how prevailing ideas fit into your own thesis, and how your thesis agrees or differs from them.

Systematic Review: A systematic review is a type of literature review that attempts to identify, appraise and synthesize all the empirical evidence that meets pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a given research question. Researchers conducting systematic reviews use explicit methods aimed at minimizing bias, in order to produce more reliable findings that can be used to inform decision making.

Online Guides about Writing a Literature Review

The Literature Review: a few tips on conducting it . The University of Toronto. University College Writing Centre. http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-of-writing/literature-review

Guidelines for writing a literature review. The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison. http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html

How to Write a Literature Review. University of California, Santa Cruz. http://library.ucsc.edu/ref/howto/literaturereview.html

Writing the Literature Review

Overview of a Lit Review: Take 5 minutes to watch the below video that describes what a lit review is and isn't, what its role is, and why we do them. This is the first of a 3-part tutorial on lit reviews. It's HIGHLY recommended that you watch the remaining two parts after this one plays through. (Sorry about the poor sound quality.)

[From University of Maryland University College.]

Research or Review: what's the difference?

Research articles : Present original research results, and include details of the scientific data obtained during the research, as well as the methodology used.  They are known as a primary source of scientific information, and should include:

How to Find Research Articles   (tips to hone in on research studies via FGCU databases)

Review articles : Do exactly what their name suggests: they review the literature published on a particular topic.  Typically, review articles:

A review article is usually considered to be a secondary source of information, and can provide an ideal starting point for researching a topic.  The reference list will contain citations for the research articles (primary sources) discussed – a good way of locating other literature that may be relevant to your topic.  Be aware that a review article reflects the views of its authors - you should still look at the articles discussed and draw your own conclusions.

Sample Literature Reviews

Walker, W. (2008, February 15). Accident and emergency staff opinion on the effects of family presence during adult resuscitation: critical literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing , 61 (4), 348-362. Retrieved July 7, 2009, from CINAHL with Full Text database.

Paul, F., & Rattray, J. (2008, May). Short- and long-term impact of critical illness on relatives: literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing , 62 (3), 276-292. Retrieved July 6, 2009, from CINAHL with Full Text database.

Check out FGCU Library Books on Writing Literature Reviews

literature review topics healthcare

Borrow & Request

Research Support

Library Technology

Florida Gulf Coast University Library

(239) 590-7600 | Library Webmaster

FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY

logo

371 Outstanding Medical Research Topics for you to Explore & Analyze

Table of Contents

What are Medical Research Topics?

If you have enrolled yourself in a medical college, perhaps, you have sufficient knowledge on the dilemma of medical students. Despite, the availability of extensive medical research topics on the internet, it appears scary to find the top-rated topics. Besides, medicine is a very extensive subject, as it offers numerous possibilities to explore medical topics both past and present. However, due to restricted time, we might frequently narrow our theme and create an outstanding and comprehensive research paper.

How to Use Medical Research Topics?

Accordingly, choosing research topics isn’t setting a stone, and selecting a research topic isn’t always a direct process. Perhaps, research paper topic selection is frequently more provoking as compared to the writing procedure. Moreover, you need to choose an intriguing subject matter that will interest the readers and might demonstrate your subject knowledge.

Furthermore, it might assist you to advance in your studies and possibly even influence your future research. Hence, brainstorming and comprehensive research might seem important for medical research topics selection.

Medical Research Topics

How to Write Medical Research Topics?

List Of Convincing Medical Research Topics

Simple & basic medical research topics.

Outstanding Medical Research Topics

Excellent Medical Research Topics

Good-Scoring Medical Research Topics

Medical Research Topics for Students

Good Medical Research Topics

Professional Medical Research Topics

High-Quality Medical Research Topics

Intriguing Medical Research Topics for Exam

Top-Notch Medical Research Topics

Medical Research Topics popular among the students

Read more: BACHELOR OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE

Comprehensive Medical Research Topics

Miscellaneous Medical Research Topics

Medical Research Topics by Experts

Unique Medical Research Topics

Amazing Medical Research Topics

Topics for Medical Research for Assignment

Medical Research Topics for the College Students

Few More to Add in the Medical Research Topics Bucket

Tremendous Medical Research Topics

Eye-Catching Medical Research Topics for the students

Final List of Medical Research Topics

Easy & Scoring Medical Research Topics

Trending List of Medical Research Topics

What’s next?

Finally, if you have found your preferred medical or biology research topics, perhaps, you might note them down in your notepad. Also, let your professor decide the most relevant topic for you and help you fetch good marks. Besides, think about your audience and check if your shortlisted topic is meeting their requirements, otherwise, it will appear useless. Consequently, if don’t possess the ability to decide your topic, talk with our biology assignment helper to receive the best solution.

Related topics: 155 TRENDING NURSING RESEARCH TOPICS FOR A HIGH-SCORING PAPER

literature review topics healthcare

Related Post

Big Data Research Topics

150 Outstanding Big Data Research Topics for Every Student to Explore

Social Issues Topics

198 Captivating Social Issues Topics for Essay or Research Paper

Geology Research Topic

146 Best Geology Research Topics for Academic Writing

About author.

' src=

https://www.greatassignmenthelp.com/

Comments are closed.

Top 140 Bioethics Topics To Consider For Writing a Research Paper

160 excellent business essay topics and ideas to focus on, how to write a reflective essay, different types of essay formats- mla, apa, and chicago, apa vs. mla: learn the major differences between the citation styles, top 152 cybercrime research topics for students to consider, an understanding of the language features and structural features, 150+ fabulous criminology dissertation ideas for you to consider, 153 fantastic narrative essay topics for you to explore and consider, 100 motivational quotes for students to succeed in academic life, get help instantly.

Raise Your Grades with Great Assignment Help

logo WriteMyPaper4me.org

Health Research

Medical research topics: how to choose, health research topics.

Healthcare Management Research Paper Topics

Final Thoughts

If you are studying Medicine and need worthy healthcare research topics for college, go no further! In this blog post, our proficient writers have compiled a useful list of health research ideas and suggestions on how to choose a decent topic. Select the one that you like most and be ready to nail any assignment related to health.

Healthcare research is a diverse field of study which includes various topics that you may cover. From mental health issues to the use of technology in the medical industry, there are many interesting healthcare research topics to choose from.  Aspects discussed in medical papers are of great importance in modern society. For that reason, a well-crafted health project allows college students to go beyond task completion. It also provides a unique opportunity to catch international reader's attention.

It's essential to start your research by brainstorming different problems related to health. Try to consider as many topics for research papers as possible. At this point, you need to select several relevant issues and conduct independent research . This crucial step allows us to come up with insights and offer new solutions to the existing problems. Do not forget to include valuable takeaways for future studies when analyzing one of the healthcare research topics. To make the process easier, a student should focus on the why , what , and how questions. Make sure to address the following queries:

Having these questions answered is the key to success. Now that you know how to select a good topic let's move on to the medical field's typical categories.  

Health research topics offer a great variety of choices . It's not necessary to describe a specific illness, its symptoms and treatment like most students may do. Instead, you are more than welcome to focus on technological advancements or alternative therapies. Overall, healthcare research issues can be divided into the following main sections :

Think about what area of study is of most interest to you and try to come up with a great subject in the respective category. If you run out of ideas, do not hesitate to look through the list of healthcare topics given below. Whether it's a case study, a lab report, a  persuasive essay , or a research paper, you are sure to find the most practical idea for your assignment.

Healthcare Research Topics for College 

Need to write a research paper in sociology? You are lucky! We have the list of topics for sociology research paper . Look through it and find something interesting.

Other Health Research Topics 

Our platform is unique for every student. You will find everything you need for your writing task whether you are looking for capstone project ideas  or any other essay topics.

When you're required to write a sociology research paper, be prepared to work on a topic that is connected to people and society. You can choose from a variety of subjects including relationships, social norms, people's behavior, stereotypes, communication between different groups and individuals, a...

Many people underestimate the impact of mental disorders on the quality of life. Statistics prove the importance of this health condition in terms of a person's general well-being.  It is up to medical college students to demonstrate the necessity to study various associated issues in-depth. Writing...

Things go the way we can pick relevant, up-to-date research paper topics these days. Be it an Instagram study or Kendrick Lamar’s influence on music in the last decade study – nowadays it is still a research writing. This piece of text will provide enough information and ideas to choose dazzling res...

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy

Logo

40 Unique Health Research Paper Topics

The paper on Health Research can cover everything: from healthy lifestyle, to child care, to rehabilitation after traumas. Humanity invents lots of ways to live longer and healthier, so you have thousands of choices for health research topics. Still, because there are so many ideas to improve one’s health, not all of them are tested and proved properly. Here are some suggestions that may help you to make an outstanding paper that will be accepted both by those who support and who reject your chosen idea.

Use the respected sources of statistics

Unfortunately, even the clinical researches can be falsificated. The more serious source of statistic and figures you use (and the more sources that prove each other) the more credibility will your paper have. Even those who disagree with your main thesis will have to admit that you use true facts and they have to deal with it.

Remember that nothing is equally good for everyone

No matter how devoted you are to your idea and how good it is for the majority, there will always be some people for which it doesn’t work. Vaccinations save people from horrible diseases, but there are people with allergies or immunity disorders. Going vegan can be great for ethics and health, but there are kids who still need meat and milk to grow and so on. It is okay that panacea doesn’t exist, so when you are describing a method to enhance your health, always think about the possible drawbacks.

Read also: Learn how to organize a research paper .

Do not follow the fashion

The advertising influences us greatly. You may hear a lot about the new revolutionary method of improving your health. Everyone uses it. Hollywood celebrities use it. It perfectly fits everyone. But despite all this you should study this method as if it was invented yesterday and you are the scientist who decides whether it should be released.

You may use some of our sample topics for the research paper to come up with your own. Good luck!

40 Best Medical Research Topic

By clicking "Log In", you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We'll occasionally send you account related and promo emails.

Sign Up for your FREE account

Diana from A Research Guide Don't know how to start your paper? Worry no more! Get professional writing assistance from our partner. Click to learn more

logo

Health (Nursing, Medicine, Allied Health)

What are Systematic Reviews?

Systematic Literature Reviews: Steps & Resources

literature review topics healthcare

These steps for conducting a systematic literature review are listed below . 

Also see subpages for more information about:

Literature Review & Systematic Review Steps

1. Develop a Focused   Question 

Consider the PICO Format: Population/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome

Focus on defining the Population or Problem and Intervention (don't narrow by Comparison or Outcome just yet!)

"What are the effects of the Pilates method for patients with low back pain?"

Tools & Additional Resources:

2. Scope the Literature

A "scoping search" investigates the breadth and/or depth of the initial question or may identify a gap in the literature. 

Eligible studies may be located by searching in:

When searching, if possible, translate terms to controlled vocabulary of the database. Use text word searching when necessary.

Use Boolean operators to connect search terms:

Search:  pilates AND ("low back pain"  OR  backache )

Download a Boolean worksheet (PDF)

3. Refine & Expand Your Search

Expand your search strategy with synonymous search terms harvested from:

Example: 

(pilates OR exercise movement techniques) AND ("low back pain" OR backache* OR sciatica OR lumbago OR spondylosis)

As you develop a final, reproducible strategy for each database, save your strategies in a:

4. Limit Your Results

Use database filters to limit your results based on your defined inclusion/exclusion criteria.  In addition to relying on the databases' categorical filters, you may also need to manually screen results.  

NOTE: Many databases allow you to filter to "Full Text Only".  This filter is  not recommended . It excludes articles if their full text is not available in that particular database (CINAHL, PubMed, etc), but if the article is relevant, it is important that you are able to read its title and abstract, regardless of 'full text' status. The full text is likely to be accessible through another source (a different database, or Interlibrary Loan).  

5. Download Citations

Selected citations and/or entire sets of search results can be downloaded from the database into a citation management tool. If you are conducting a systematic review that will require reporting according to PRISMA standards, a citation manager can help you keep track of the number of articles that came from each database, as well as the number of duplicate records.

In Zotero, you can create a Collection for the combined results set, and sub-collections for the results from each database you search.  You can then use Zotero's 'Duplicate Items" function to find and merge duplicate records.

File structure of a Zotero library, showing a combined pooled set, and sub folders representing results from individual databases.

6. Abstract and Analyze

Covidence is a web-based tool that enables you to work with a team to screen titles/abstracts and full text for inclusion in your review, as well as extract data from the included studies.

Screenshot of the Covidence interface, showing Title and abstract screening phase.

7. Create Flow Diagram

The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) flow diagram is a visual representation of the flow of records through different phases of a systematic review.  It depicts the number of records identified, included and excluded.  It is best used in conjunction with the PRISMA checklist .

Example PRISMA diagram showing number of records identified, duplicates removed, and records excluded.

Example from: Stotz, S. A., McNealy, K., Begay, R. L., DeSanto, K., Manson, S. M., & Moore, K. R. (2021). Multi-level diabetes prevention and treatment interventions for Native people in the USA and Canada: A scoping review. Current Diabetes Reports, 2 (11), 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-021-01414-3

8. Synthesize & Report Results

There are a number of reporting guideline available to guide the synthesis and reporting of results in systematic literature reviews.

It is common to organize findings in a matrix, also known as a Table of Evidence (ToE).

Example of a review matrix, using Microsoft Excel, showing the results of a systematic literature review.

Steps modified from: 

Cook, D. A., & West, C. P. (2012). Conducting systematic reviews in medical education: a stepwise approach.   Medical Education , 46 (10), 943–952.

Public Health: Literature review

Created by health science librarians.

HSL Logo

Section Objective

What is a literature review, clearly stated research question, search terms, searching worksheets, boolean and / or.

The content in the Literature Review section defines the literature review purpose and process, explains using the PICO format to ask a clear research question, and demonstrates how to evaluate and modify search results to improve the accuracy of the retrieval.

A literature review seeks to identify, analyze and summarize the published research literature about a specific topic.  Literature reviews are assigned as course projects; included as the introductory part of master's and PhD theses; and are conducted before undertaking any new scientific research project.

The purpose of a literature review is to establish what is currently known about a specific topic and to evaluate the strength of the evidence upon which that knowledge is based. A review of a clinical topic may identify implications for clinical practice. Literature reviews also identify areas of a topic that need further research.

A systematic review is a literature review that follows a rigorous process to find all of the research conducted on a topic and then critically appraises the research methods of the highest quality reports. These reviews track and report their search and appraisal methods in addition to providing a summary of the knowledge established by the appraised research.

The UNC Writing Center provides a nice summary of what to consider when writing a literature review for a class assignment. The online book, Doing a literature review in health and social care : a practical guide (2010), is a good resource for more information on this topic.

Obviously, the quality of the search process will determine the quality of all literature reviews. Anyone undertaking a literature review on a new topic would benefit from meeting with a librarian to discuss search strategies. A consultaiton with a librarian is strongly recommended for anyone undertaking a systematic review.

Use the email form on our Ask a Librarian page to arrange a meeting with a librarian.

The first step to a successful literature review search is to state your research question as clearly as possible.

It is important to:

Clinical and social science questions often have these aspects (PICO):

If the PICO model does not fit your question, try to use other ways to help be sure to articulate all parts of your question. Perhaps asking yourself Who, What, Why, How will help.  

Example Question:  Is acupuncture as effective of a therapy as triptans in the treament of adult migraine?

Note that this question fits the PICO model.

A literature review search is an iterative process. Your goal is to find all of the articles that are pertinent to your subject. Successful searching requires you to think about the complexity of language. You need to match the words you use in your search to the words used by article authors and database indexers. A thorough PubMed search must identify the author words likely to be in the title and abstract or the indexer's selected MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) Terms.

Start by doing a preliminary search using the words from the key parts of your research question.

Step #1: Initial Search

Enter the key concepts from your research question combined with the Boolean operator AND. PubMed does automatically combine your terms with AND. However, it can be easier to modify your search if you start by including the Boolean operators.

migraine AND acupuncture AND tryptamines

The search retrieves a number of relevant article records, but probably not everything on the topic.

Step #2: Evaluate Results

Use the Display Settings drop down in the upper left hand corner of the results page to change to Abstract display.

Review the results and move articles that are directly related to your topic to the Clipboard .

Go to the Clipboard to examine the language in the articles that are directly related to your topic.

The following two articles were selected from the search results and placed on the Clipboard.

Here are word differences to consider:

With this knowledge you can reformulate your search to expand your retrieval, adding synonyms for all concepts except for manual and plaque.

#3 Revise Search

Use the Boolean OR operator to group synonyms together and use parentheses around the OR groups so they will be searched properly. See the image below to review the difference between Boolean OR / Boolean AND.

Here is what the new search looks like:

(migraine OR migraine disorders) AND (acupuncture OR acupuncture therapy) AND (tryptamines OR sumatriptan)

Search & Find

Places & Spaces

Support & Guides

UNC University Libraries Logo

UM-Flint Home

TODAY'S HOURS:

Research Topic Ideas

Health Topics

Suggested Databases

U-M login required

Related Guides

IMAGES

  1. Psychology Literature Review Topics

    literature review topics healthcare

  2. How to literature review apa

    literature review topics healthcare

  3. Best Literature Review Topic Ideas

    literature review topics healthcare

  4. What Is a Healthcare Literature Review

    literature review topics healthcare

  5. Economic Literature Review Topics

    literature review topics healthcare

  6. Literature review topic ideas nursing

    literature review topics healthcare

VIDEO

  1. What is Literature Review?

  2. Common Family Medicine Topics& Healthcare Transformation-First day -2022

  3. Literature Review 2

  4. Common Family Medicine Topics & Healthcare Transformation-second day -2022

  5. Meticulous Vibe Juice Podcast Episode 153:

  6. Literature Review Presentation

COMMENTS

  1. What Is a Topic?

    A topic is the general theme, message or idea expressed in a speech or written work. Effective writing requires people to remain on topic, without adding in a lot of extraneous information.

  2. What Is the Difference Between Thesis and Topic?

    The difference between a thesis and a topic is that a thesis, also known as a thesis statement, is an assertion or conclusion regarding the interpretation of data, and a topic is the subject a research paper is based on. The thesis provides...

  3. What Are the Two Types of Literature?

    The two types of literature are written and oral. Written literature includes novels and poetry. It also has subsections of prose, fiction, myths, novels and short stories. Oral literature includes folklore, ballads, myths and fables.

  4. 200 Medical Literature Review Ideas by LitReviewWritingHelp

    200 Medical Literature Review Ideas ... Common High Street Chinese remedies: Healing or hokum? Regulating the claims of alternative medicine - An

  5. 100+ Interesting Medical Research Topics

    Medicine Research Topics · Causes for the increasing cancer cases · Insulin resistance · How terrorism affects mental health · AIDS/HIV - latest

  6. Nursing Literature Review Topics And Examples

    Top Nursing Literature Review Topics · Impact of health promotion initiatives on public health Collaborative roles of nurses, policymakers, social workers, and

  7. Literature Review

    Research Methods in Healthcare: IHS 4504 · Home · Databases for the Health Sciences · Core Research & Ethics Journals · Books & eBooks: Research Methods & Inquiry

  8. 322 Best Health Research Topics for You to Explore

    Mental health research topics · Women and men dream literature. · Key causes of multiple personality disorder. · Is dreaming healthy for your body?

  9. 371 Outstanding Medical Research Topics for you to Explore 2022

    Simple & Basic Medical Research Topics. Significance of strong healthcare system in developing a country's economic condition. Discuss the

  10. 40 Amazing Healthcare Research Topics for Medical College

    Health Research Topics · Diseases: The symptoms, causes, risk factors, prevention, treatment, diagnosis, complications · Healthcare management and

  11. 40 Unique Health Research Paper Topics

    What shall we really consider while choosing healthy food? What is healthy lifestyles in different ages? How should it

  12. Literature Reviews

    Literature Review & Systematic Review Steps · Develop a Focused Question · Scope the Literature · Refine & Expand the Search · Limit the Results

  13. Public Health: Literature review

    The purpose of a literature review is to establish what is currently known about a specific topic and to evaluate the strength of the evidence upon which that

  14. Health Sciences

    Health Topics. Acne; Acupuncture; AIDS; Alternative medicine; Animal testing; Anosmia; Antibiotic resistance; Asthma; Bedside manner; Bereavement