Skip to Main Content

Preventive & Social Medicine: Journals & Databases

Looking for articles on your topic?

The quickest way to find articles on a specific topic is by searching a relevant database. The University Library subscribes to hundreds of databases, but we recommend the ones listed below as a starting point for students and researchers.

Some provide only citations for articles, so look for the Article Linker button, or try one of the methods described in the column on the right to access a copy.

Key biomedical subject headings databases

These databases can use Subject Headings (e.g. MeSH, Emtree) to assist your searching. They can also be searched with keywords.

Keyword-only Citation databases

These databases can only be searched using keywords (author words).

If you find a great article on your topic, you can use these citation databases to track down articles that cite that particular article. 

Some other Preventive Medicine databases

Help with PubMed

Find out how to get the most out of PubMed by using the tutorials below:

Looking for a specific article?

If you already have a citation for the article that you are looking for,

e.g.  Hancox, R. J., and R. Poulton. "Watching television is associated with childhood obesity: but is it clinically important?." International journal of obesity30.1 (2005): 171-175.

There are 3 easy ways to find a copy. These are listed below.

1) Find an article using Library Search | Ketu

There are two options for finding articles using Library Search | Ketu 

1.   To find an article from a citation. Search for the "Title of the article" (within quotation marks)

2.   To find the Journal:

  • Search the library catalogue for the Title of the Journal (usually underlined or in Italics)
  • Do a Basic Title begins with search and limit to Journals
  • The journal may be held in print, electonically, or both
  • Browse to find the correct year/volume and page numbers

Watch this short video on how to use Library Search | Ketu.

Need more help? Use this guide.

          2) Find an article using Google Scholar

          You can use Google Scholar to find an article from a citation:
          • Try searching Google Scholar for the "Title of the Article" (usually within quotation marks)
          • Follow the Article Link links in your results list
          • Follow the Article links to go directly to a copy of the article.

          Off-Campus? It is very helpful to link to Google Scholar from the Library's list of databases: doing so will link to our electronic journals.

            Google Scholar Search

            3) Request a FREE Copy with the "Get It" Interloan service

            If you need an article that is not available via a database that the University of Otago subscribes to, or in print form in the library, request a free copy using the Get It Interloan service:

            What is Article Linker?

            Article Linker links article databases to the Library's e-journal collections. It tells you whether (and where) the full-text of an article is available.

            You may see Article Linker represented as:    or   Article Link.