Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE)

Unrestricted Access

Description

DARE (Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects) is focused primarily on systematic reviews that evaluate the effects of health care interventions and the delivery and organization of health services.  The database also includes reviews of the wider determinants of health such as housing, transport, and social care where these impact directly on health, or have the potential to impact on health. Extensive search strategies are run on a weekly basis and assess thousands of citations to identify potential systematic reviews. Full details of the search strategies are available here.  Those citations identified as potential systematic reviews are then independently assessed for inclusion by two researchers using the following criteria:

  1. Were inclusion/exclusion criteria reported?
  2. Was the search adequate?
  3. Were the included studies synthesized?
  4. Was the quality of the included studies assessed?
  5. Are sufficient details about the individual included studies presented?

To be included, reviews must meet at least four criteria.  This free version of DARE is part of the CRD databases, produced by the University of York’s (England) Centre of Reviews and Dissemination.  The DARE is included as part of the Cochrane databases, but the free version provides access to some unique information related to evidence-based healthcare.

User tools and features

The search engine is located on the home page of the site.  It contains drop-down menus which allow the user to customize or limit his/her search.  A detailed “Guide to Searching” link appears on the left side of the database or at http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/CRDWeb/GuideToSearching.asp.  It also covers displaying retrieval, limits, command language searching, truncation, and other features of searching the databases.

Dates covered

Most recent available information (earliest date unknown).

Updating frequency

Unknown.

Sources

Published journal articles, systematic reviews, health technology assessments, economic evaluations, Cochrane reviews and protocols.

Type of coverage

Published journal articles, systematic reviews, health technology assessments, economic evaluations, Cochrane reviews and protocols.

Print counterpart or
related resources

Published journal articles.

Producer/content provider

University of York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination

Vendor/electronic presentation provider

University of York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination