Annual evidence updates - January 2009

The National Library for Health (NLH) Specialist Libraries have been developed to identify and meet the information needs of particular communities of practice. They are web-based collections containing clinical and non-clinical information on the major health priority areas. Each NLH Specialist Library identifies and provides access to quality assessed information of relevance to the community that it serves.

An aspect of this involves the production of Annual Evidence Updates, which aim to highlight the best current evidence for selected healthcare topics. Annual Evidence Updates consist of the good quality evidence from a search of research evidence on a particular topic over a 12 month period, plus user-friendly summaries written by relevant experts, and links to guidelines, secondary research and primary research, if applicable. All information included in Annual Evidence Updates has been subject to rigorous selection criteria.

The calendar of currently confirmed Annual Evidence Updates for 2009 is now available. The following Annual Evidence Updates are scheduled for January 2009:

Urinary incontinence (Kidney Diseases and Women's Health Specialist Libraries) 19th January
Focusing on both male and female urinary incontinence this Annual Evidence Update brings together the latest evidence on the surgical, drug and conservative management of urge and stress incontinence and Overactive Bladder (OAB). Expert commentaries summarising the latest knowledge on various incontinence topics such as botox, post-prostatectomy and quality of life issues will be available.

Patient and Carer Involvement in Chronic Disease (Supportive and Palliative Care Specialist Library) 19th January
This Annual Evidence Update collects together the best current knowledge on self care in chronic disease management. Key resources from a small sample of chronic conditions are placed within the general theme of user involvement in health services.

Patient Safety (Patient and Public Involvement Specialist Library) 26th January
This Annual Evidence Update considers the issue of patient involvement in patient safety, which can be defined as: the actions that patients take to reduce the likelihood of medical errors and/or the actions that patients take to mitigate the effects of medical errors when they do occur. The Annual Evidence Update looks at the ways in which patients can help to improve patient safety, and also at the willingness of patients to perform safety-related behaviours.