OTDBASE: Who, Why, What, and How to Use It

WHO?
The developer of this web-based OT journal literature search service is a Canadian OT, Marilyn Ernest-Conibear, OT(C), who practiced OT in Saskatchewan for 10 years, went to UBC for 3 years for graduate studies in adult education, and then taught OT at UWO for 19 years before ‘retiring’ to Vancouver in 1990.

WHY?
Although most OTs and students were aware of professional information in their own national OT journal, they generally had little opportunity to know of the relevant literature in the many other occupational therapy journals published around the world. With both the art and science of occupational therapy growing, it became increasingly more important, and efficient, for all OTs, (and students) to be aware of new occupational therapy knowledge and research being published around the world.

WHAT?
Marilyn created a computer database consisting of an index of over 18 occupational therapy topics, including almost 240 sub-topic (new topics and sub-topics are added as the professional progresses into new areas of practice and research). In 1986 she typed all principle article abstracts from the original 8 OT journals (several back to 1970) into the database, developed an indexing method and cross referenced wherever possible to make searches as comprehensive and simple as possible. The data is updated almost monthly. New OT journals were added as permission was received to include them until, at present, there are abstracts from over 20 OT journals in the database.

Originally, requests for literature searches were sent to Marilyn by phone, mail and then email, and the search was completed and sent back by mail, fax and then email. However grateful searchers of the literature are, the fact remains that there are many more students, clinicians and researchers that could use OTDBASE information - but are unaware of it. The next step in providing a valuable OT journal literature search service came about because of the great growth in the use of the internet around the world. The complete OTDBASE content presently consists of almost 9000 abstracts, and subscribers have unlimited and unrestricted access to the complete database of OT journal abstracts, 24 hours a day, from any internet-connected computer in the world.

HOW?
All occupational therapy students in Canada are automatically members of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT). Therefore all students can freely access OTDBASE via the CAOT web site (www.caot.ca) from your home computer. Click on ‘members area login’, log in with your CAOT member’s number and password, click on ‘Information Gateway’, click on ‘OTDBASE’, then ‘open OTDBASE’ - and you’re ready to search for the OT journal literature you need for that term paper. For example, if you’re looking for the literature on OT and autism, click on the topic pediatrics, and then you will see the many sub-topics pop up - which will include ‘autism’. Spend some time examining the various topics and sub-topics and save yourself from spending many hours in the library - especially if you don’t know if the literature you want even exists.

Marilyn Ernest-Conibear

OTDBASE can be found on the CAOT website at www.caot.ca . You’ll find it in the Members Only section under the Information Gateway tab.. Read more about Marilyn there and try it yourself!