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Category: Journals

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Picture of black hands folded around a rainbow ribbon.
Photo by Anete Lusina

Himmelfarb Library’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEI Committee) is proud to announce the release of the new LGBTQ+ Health Research Guide! The guide features resources that address LBGTQ+ healthcare in clinical and research settings and explores sexual orientation and gender identity barriers to accessing healthcare. You’ll also find general resources including links to LGBTQ+ health organizations at GW and in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. Relevant books, e-books, and journals from Himmelfarb’s collection, educational resources about pronouns and preferred terminology, and podcasts to help you learn about LGBTQ+ healthcare are showcased in the guide. 

Featured books from Himmelfarb’s Diversity and Disparities in Health Care Collection include:

Highlighted journals on LGBTQ+ health include:

Please note that some resources, such as e-books and journal collections, may require GW credentials to access.

The Researchers tab of the guide provides insight into useful MeSH search terms, links to helpful research-related guides, and information about conducting research. This tab also features published works related to LGBTQ+ health by GW authors in Himmelfarb’s Health Sciences Research Commons (HSRC).

The DEI Committee wants this guide to be a high-quality resource relevant to our community, and we encourage our users to share relevant resources for inclusion in the LGBTQ+ Health Guide through our Resource Suggestion Form. If you are a member of a GW organization and would like your organization to be featured in this guide, or if you’re interested in partnering with the DEI Committee, please contact the current committee chair, Brittany Smith, at bsmith91@gwu.edu. 

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Picture of a woman physical therapist working with an older woman of color. "Happy National Physical Therapy Month."

October is National Physical Therapy Month! This National Physical Therapy (PT) Month, we want to celebrate and acknowledge the fantastic work of Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs), and PT educators. Himmelfarb Library is proud to provide resources to support PT research and learning to help further education and understanding within the field. Here are some great physical therapy resources provided by Himmelfarb Library:

Journals

Our journal collection includes some great PT titles! Here are just a few of what we offer:

  • American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: This journal publishes cutting-edge basic and clinical research, clinical case reports, and in-depth topical reviews of interest to rehabilitation professionals.
  • Current Sports Medicine Reports: The official clinical journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), this journal focuses entirely on clinical sports medicine, including aspects of physical therapy such as training, prevention, and rehabilitation, and sport-specific illness and injury.
  • Journal of Physical Therapy Education: This journal publishes works of discovery, application, and integration and enriches academic and clinical PT education with evidence-based decision-making processes to prepare learners, support faculty and clinicians, and inform administrators.
  • Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal (PTJ): This leading journal for research in PT and related fields publishes content for clinicians and scientists using a variety of interactive approaches to improve patient care.

Textbooks

We also have a great selection of textbooks on PT-related topics including human anatomy and mechanics, rehabilitation, evidence-based practice, exercise therapy, and patient care planning. 

Here’s a sample of textbooks from each of these topics:

Databases

Databases can be a great way to find journal articles, practice guidelines, and reviews! The following databases are great for physical therapy-related searches:

  • PEDro: Physiotherapy Evidence Database: Physiotherapy randomized trials, systematic reviews, and clinical practice guidelines.
  • DiTA, Diagnostic Test Accuracy: PT database includes primary studies and systematic reviews evaluating diagnostic tests used by physical therapists.
  • CINAHL: Authoritative coverage of nursing and allied health literature.
  • PubMed: Health sciences articles including clinical, basic sciences, and public health information.
  • Scopus: Interdisciplinary citation and abstract database.

Software & Tech Tools

Our PT collection is much more than just a collection of journals, databases, and books. We also have some great software, apps, and other digital resources to support PT teaching and learning! 

  • BodyViz: Interactive 3D anatomy visualization tool that includes over 1,000 data sets from human and animal models in healthy and pathological states at different developmental stages.
  • Acland’s Video Atlas of Human Anatomy: 300+ videos of real human anatomic specimens in their natural colors.
  • NetAnatomy: Review basic concepts and study gross anatomy, radiographic anatomy, and cross-sectional anatomy.
  • Visible Body Human Anatomy Atlas: View specific structures and layers from head to toe in this online anatomy atlas.
  • Bates Visual Guide to Physical Examination: Content and clinical skills videos covering head-to-toe and systems-based physical examination techniques.

Find more great PT resources on Himmelfarb’s Physical Therapy Research Guide! 

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White background with pink scrabble tiles that spell cancer.
Photo by Anna Tarazevich

September is a big month for cancer awareness - it’s Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Awareness Month, Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month! Rather than trying to highlight each of these different types of cancers, we’ll highlight some of Himmelfarb’s cancer resources in this post.

Himmelfarb Library provides clinical, evidence-based medicine resources including DynaMed and epocrates+ which provide information to support cancer care. DynaMed is a point-of-care tool designed to facilitate efficient and evidence-based patient care information including drug and disease information. DynaMed provides information including background, history and physical, diagnosis, disease management, prognosis, prevention, and screening information on medical conditions. DynaMed’s easy-to-read topic pages cover a wide range of conditions and diseases, including cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoblastic lymphoma in children as seen in the screenshot below.  

Screenshot of DynaMed entry for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

epocrates+ is Himmelfarb’s other evidence-based point-of-care database that provides disease and drug information. epocrates+ provides a step-by-step approach, covering prevention, risk factors, history and exam, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Like DynaMed, epocrates+ covers coverage of a wide range of medical conditions, including cancers. Epcorates also offers a quick reference area that covers the basics of a condition, as seen in the cervical cancer quick reference screenshot below.

Screenshot of epocrates+ Quick Reference entry for Cervical Cancer.

If you’re looking for the latest in cancer research, Himmelfarb provides access to many cancer journals! The following list is just a sample of the cancer-related titles you can access through Himmelfarb’s journal collection:

  • Cancer: An American Cancer Society journal that started publication in 1948, Cancer is one of the oldest peer-reviewed oncology journals. This journal focuses on highly relevant, timely information on the etiology, course, and treatment of human cancer.
  • JAMA Oncology: This definitive oncology journal publishes important clinical research, major cancer breakthroughs, actionable discoveries, and innovative cancer treatments.
  • Nature Reviews: Clinical Oncology: This journal publishes in-depth reviews on the entire spectrum of clinical oncology.
  • Cancer Cell: This journal provides access to major advances in cancer research including clinical investigations that establish new paradigms in treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of cancers.
  • Gynecologic Oncology: This journal publishes clinical and investigative articles about tumors of the female reproductive tract and the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of female cancers.
  • Journal of the National Cancer Institute: This journal publishes significant cancer research findings focused on clinical, epidemiologic, behavioral, and health outcomes studies.
  • Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network: JNCCN publishes the latest information on clinical practices, oncology health services research, and translational medicine, as well as updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

If you’re interested in finding health statistics about cancer, we have information on that too! Check out our Health Statistics: Cancer Guide. This guide provides links to resources to find general cancer statistics, as well as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. Resources to find cancer mortality maps and graphs are also included.

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Pile of chocolate peanut butter cups with chocolate syrup poured over
Photo by Heather Barnes on Unsplash

Isn’t it great when two things which are already great on their own combine? Earlier this month, The Rotation spotlighted LibKey Nomad, a super-handy browser plugin which helps you access full text more quickly and easily. For those involved with evidence synthesis projects who use Covidence, there is some great news…

Banner advertising LibKey Nomad Covidence Integration

Now you can use LibKey Nomad to help you locate the full text of articles right from your Covidence screen!

Once you are logged in to Covidence, navigate to the Full text screening page, and look at your list. You will now find the LibKey Nomad icon that offers you the option to “Download PDF” – or may offer you other options of obtaining the full-text article.  Here’s how it can work with Covidence:

Screenshot showing where to click to download a PDF

To access the full text, click the LibKey Nomad button to download a PDF. The PDF will open in a new browser tab…

Preview of PDF download

…and you can download it from there.

Next, you will click the Upload full text button, and locate the PDF wherever you downloaded it:

Dialog box to upload full text to Covidence

Once you have uploaded the PDF, this will be reflected in the display on the Full text screening page:

Screenshot from Covidence showing full text of article uploaded

When you have completed this process for each study in your full text screening set, you are ready to resume your screening!

The integration of LibKey Nomad and Covidence makes what was previously a more time-consuming process quick and easy. If you aren’t using LibKey Nomad yet, install it in your browser today!

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Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag
Image by Neo_Artemis from Pixabay

As Pride Month 2024 draws to a close, we want to take this opportunity to look back at some of our favorite LGBTQ+ blog posts. Whether you’re new to Himmelfarb Library or have been following our blog for years, this retrospective look at Himmelfarb’s Pride posts can serve as an opportunity to reflect on the history of Pride, celebrate the progress that’s been made towards LGBTQ+ equality and those who have fought for this progress, and recommit to the work that still needs to be done.

LGBTQ+ History

Most people don’t associate October with Pride Month, but October is LGBTQ History Month. In an October 2023 post titled The History Behind LGBTQ History Month, we took a look at the history behind LGBTQ History Month starting from its origins in 1994 when high school history teacher, Rodney Wilson addressed a lack of LGBTQ representation in school curriculum and worked with organizations such as the Human Rights Campain to have LGBTQ History Month recognized at the national level. October has additional significance within the LGBTQ community as the first March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights took place in October of 1979, and a second March on Washington took place on October 11, 1987. In 1988, October 11th was recognized as National Coming Out Day. If you’d like to learn more about the 1979 and 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, read the full post!

LGBTQ+ Profiles

At GW, we are lucky to have many influential members of the LGBTQ+ community who have been members of our faculty for many years! We’ve profiled some prominent GW faculty and one prominent national figure on our blog.

Picture of Dr. Deyton and Dr. Fauci standing in front of a GW Medicine & Health Sciences logo.
(GW SMHS Facebook Page, 2017)

In June 2021, we posted a piece titled “Just Speak:” Lawrence “Bopper” Deyton. This in-depth profile of Dr. Deyton explores an influential experience Dr. Deyton had as a patient that would have a profound impact on the course of his career and inspire him to work to be a positive influence for change within the field of medicine and healthcare for his entire career. In 1978, Dr. Deyton co-founded what is now Whitman-Walker Health as “a health clinic for gay men and lesbians before AIDS redefined everything and the clinic became a hub for HIV treatment” (Sullivan, 2011). After attending medical school at GW and completing his residency at the University of Southern California Los Angeles County Medical Center, Dr. Deyton began working at the NIH, where he became friends with Dr. Anthony Fauci, and together they would play a crucial role in HIV/AIDS research during the early 1990s epidemic. Dr. Deyton was instrumental in overseeing the “clinical research on the development and approval of antiretroviral drugs and treatment strategies, including the first trials of combination therapies, the cornerstone of current HIV treatments” (GW SMHS, 2017). Read the full post to learn more about Dr. Deyton’s fascinating and impactful career!

Picture of Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Diaz.

In September of 2021, we posted a profile titled Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Diaz: Aim for What You’re Passionate About. In this post, Dr. Rodriguez-Diaz discusses what inspired him to go into public health and get involved with HIV care and prevention. He discusses the privilege of being a “young Latino gay man and to have access to education and contribute to my community by engaging in public health training, practice, and research” (Puro, 2021).

Dr. Rodriguez-Diaz talks about how he ended up at GW, what lessons scientists can learn from the spread of misinformation related to the COVID-19 vaccine, and how to make research more transparent and accessible. Included in his answer, he explains that “we should facilitate those scientists from minority populations (e.g. Latinos, Black, LGBTQ, Native Americans) to have access to mass media and platforms to reach out to their communities. No one else can speak to a community like a community member” (Puro, 2021). Read the full article to learn more about Dr. Rodriguez-Diaz.

In June of 2021, our post titled PRIDE: Dr. Rachel Levine: Physician and LGBTQ+ Health Advocate profiled Dr. Rachel Levine, the first openly transgender woman to be confirmed for federal office by the United States Senate in 2021. Dr. Levine is still serving as the 17th Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) at the Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Levine served as the Pennslyvania Physician General from 2015 to 2018, during which time she was responsible for an initiative that allowed law enforcement agents to carry Naloxone, an anti-overdose drug, and also allowed Pennsylvanians to purchase Naloxone from a pharmacy without a prescription. Levine has used her platform to highlight health inequality issues impacting marginalized communities, including the LGBTQ+ community. In a 2020 interview with Philadelphia magazine, Dr. Levine said “One of my goals, being a state health official…is that people will see me. … it’s about letting people put a face to something they might not understand, so they aren’t fearful, so that they don’t get angry, so that it doesn’t lead to hate.” 

Picture of Dr. Rachel Levine standing in front of a podium and US flag.

Resources

We’ve also posted about LGBTQ+ resources and local organizations. A 2023 post titled Celebrate Pride: LGBTQ+ Healthcare Resources highlighted selected books, journals, and streaming videos that are part of Himmelfarb’s collection. A more recent post from earlier this month titled Pride in the Collection shared more books from our Diversity and Disparities in Health Care collection relevant to the LGBTQ+ community. 

References:

George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. (June, 12, 2017). Lawrence “Bopper” Deyton installed as Murdock Head Professor of Medicine and Health Policy. SMHS News. https://smhs.gwu.edu/news/lawrence-%E2%80%9Cbopper%E2%80%9D-deyton-installed-murdock-head-professor-medicine-and-health-policy

Puro, A. (2021, September 29). Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Diaz: Aim for what you’re passionate about. Himmelfarb Library Blog. https://blogs.gwu.edu/himmelfarb/2021/09/29/dr-carlos-rodriguez-diaz-aim-for-what-youre-passionate-about/

Sullivan, P. (2011, September 7). Lawrence Deyton, award nominee, heads FDA campaign against smoking. The Washington Post, https://go.openathens.net/redirector/gwu.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flocal%2Flawrence-deyton-award-nominee-heads-fda-campaign-against-smoking%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2FgIQABsMYAK_story.html

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From all of us at Himmelfarb Library, we’d like to welcome all of the new residents, fellows, students, faculty, and staff who joined the GW SMHS, GWSPH, and GW Nursing community this month! We are thrilled that you’re here and we look forward to serving you during your time at GW! We know that the start of any new endeavor can be daunting, so we’d like to make it easier for you to get to know Himmelfarb Library.

To help you get the lay of the land, watch this short, video tour of the library with Himmelfarb’s Library Director, Laura Abate:

Himmelfarb Hours 

Our physical space, accessible through Ross Hall, is open the following hours:

Monday - Thursday: 7:30 am - Midnight

Friday: 7:30 am - 10:00 pm

Saturday: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Sunday: 8:00 am - Midnight

Our current hours of operation are available on our website and include exceptions to normal hours (i.e. holiday closures). If you can’t make it to the library in person, you can get help from our librarians and staff via chat or phone (202-994-2850), or email himmelfarb@gwu.edu. Our databases, journals, and e-books are available 24/7, so even when our building is closed, you can access our electronic resources from anywhere.

Himmelfarb Resources and Collections

Himmelfarb’s collection is much larger than just the books in our stacks. We have 125 databases to search, including PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. The search bar towards the top of our library homepage, known as Health Information @ Himmelfarb, can be used to search for physical and electronic books, journals, articles, dissertations, and more all in just a single search box! 

You can also browse and access our collection of journals from our e-journals page, or by using BrowZine. You can use BrowZine directly from your internet browser, or download the app to your IOS or Android device. BrowZine allows you to create a personalized bookshelf of journal titles, follow your favorite journals, and create alerts for new issues and tables of contents.

Here’s another pro tip: installing the LibKey Nomad browser extension on your favorite browser will provide easy access to full text when searching PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO databases, Google Scholar, Amazon, publisher sites, and more. With LibKey Nomad, you’ll be alerted when the full-text articles and e-books are available from Himmelfarb, and be able to get the PDF with a single click in most cases.

We also provide a wide range of e-books from AccessMedicine, ClinicalKey, EBSCOhost, and R2 Digital Library. You can browse our e-book collections, view our special collections in Health Information @ Himmelfarb, or search for any book via the Health Information @ Himmelfarb search tool on our homepage. We also have print books on the basement level of Himmelfarb. Most print books can be borrowed for three weeks with an additional two renewals. If we don’t have a book or article that you need, we can get it for you through our Consortium Loan Service or Documents2Go services. 

Clinical Resources

Himmelfarb provides specialized apps and information services to support those of you who provide patient care. DynaMed and Lexidrug are our go-to resources for easy access to clinical care resources. If you want resources available on your smartphone or other mobile device, check out our App Shelf to download apps to selected resources. Learn more about resources available to residents on our Residents and Fellows Guide!

Research Support

Himmelfarb is more than just a physical space with lots of study space and great databases, journals, books, and e-books! Our librarians and staff can support you in your research by helping with literature searches, conducting systematic reviews, and organizing sources with RefWorks or Covidence. We can also help guide you through the constantly evolving scholarly publishing landscape through our author services. 

Get help with your research from our knowledgeable reference librarians and staff. Stop by our circulation desk to get your questions answered in person, or use our Ask a Librarian service to chat with a reference librarian virtually. Our Ask a Librarian service is staffed by real Himmelfarb librarians and staff so you can be sure you’re getting the help you need! We also have a wealth of research guides that can connect you with resources on a variety of topics. 

Connect with Us!

Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for the latest Himmelfarb news and updates! Subscribe to our blog to make sure you never miss a post!

We look forward to serving you! Welcome to the GW community!

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Sometimes researching can be more complicated than it appears. Below, we take a look at predatory publishing, what it is, and how to avoid it.

A title card that says predatory publishing
Narration: A label next in the bottom left corner denotes the speaker as “Rebecca, Librarian, Amature Cartoonist.”
Pp Page 1
Rebecca in the boat, looks down concerned at the sea, where multiple shark fins can be seen poking through the waves. The speech bubble states “But there metaphorical waters can prove treacherous. And unlike real sharks, these threats to scientific knowledge provide little benefit to the scholarly ecosystem”
Narration: “Introducing Predatory Publishing” is at the top of the page. At the bottom, there is a label for the shark, which states “Ponzi, the Shark” Image: A shark wearing a top hat and bow tie waves a fin, looking smug.
Panel 4 Narration: “But what are predatory publishers?” Image: Rebecca looking stern, looks forward with a parrot on her shoulder. “Predatory publishers are journals that only exist to make money.” panel 5 Image: A white man with blonde hair and old fashion clothes, holding onto ship wreckage like Jack in Titanic, looks at a mermaid with brown skin, black hair and a purple tail. In the background there is other evidence of a ship wreck. The man says “What do you mean “make money?” to which the mermaid replies “You didn’t know?”
Pp Page 1
Image: Now under the sea, the mermaid from earlier gestures to a treasure chest full of gold. Other sea life float in the background. She says “Scientific publishing is a huge business. One publisher, had a profit margin of almost 40% in 2023 (1). In contrast, Apple’s was 44% (2).
Pp Page 1
Panel 1 Narration: To best understand how publishers make so much money, one must learn how the publishing process works. Image: The parrot from earlier says “Polly want an explanation!” Panel 2 Narration: “Traditional publishing looks something like this. Scientists submit to journals who publish it to the world (ideally). And money flows like this: scientists submit to journals for free (or a small fee) and publishers pay to publish the work to the world, who pay higher costs in return for access. Publishers get work for free that is edited for free and then charge individuals, libraries, ect for access. Image: A flow chart of a beaker, a journal and the Earth is shown demonstrating the relationship described in the narration.
Narration: This can lead to science being behind a paywall, especially for scientists, schools and others who can’t afford to pay. Image: Rebecca and Polly the parrot stand on opposite sides of a poster with a picture of a journal on it. The poster says “$$$$ science.” Rebecca, talking to Polly, says “I can’t afford this.” Polly, who is resting on a bird perch, says “Polly can’t even afford a cracker…”
Panel 1 Narration: SO a new model was born: open access. It looks like the traditional model but money flows like this (authors pay to journals to publish their work and journals pay to publish to the world). The idea is the author pays a fee to ensure wider access. Image: A flow chart of a beaker, a journal and the Earth is shown demonstrating the relationship described in the narration. Panel 2: Narration: Ideally, the rest works the same. Scientists submit their best works, it’s peer reviewed and if it passes muster, it’s published like traditional publishing. Image: We see the Earth in space with an Astronaut floating in the foreground. The astronaut says “I even get access out here!” There is also a UFO floating over the Earth as a gag.
Narration: Except…what if instead of being discerning about what you publish, you just accept everything? After all, the more articles you accept, the more money you make in fees.
Pp 2
Narration: This is the business model of predatory publishers: accept anything and make a profit from the fees. Some tactics of predatory publishers include: Image: A wanted poster of Ponzi the shark is affixed to a brick wall. On the poster, Ponzi looks alarmed. The text of the poster says “wanted: fraud.”
Narration: Pretending to be respected journals by spoofing the name of a more reputable publication. Image: A bald Black scientist wearing glasses looks concerned at Ponzi, who looks the same except for a drawn on fake mustache. Both of them stand next to posters. The scientist’s poster says “submit to Nature.” Ponzi’s poster states “submit to Natures.”
Panel 1 Narration: Or they’ll ue the name of a defunct journal that has a better reputation. Image: Ponzi the shark is seen floating underwater over a human skeleton. There are two labels affixed to each. The skeleton is labeled as “human sciences.” Ponzi is labeled as “human sciences 2.0” Panel 2: Narration: They might offer services like peer review with no intention of doing it, or claim rapid turn around times. Image: A white and yellow tropical fish stares at a piece of paper on a fish hook. The paper says “pls review in 24 hours.” Question marks are shown over the fish’s head.
Narration: The reason this is a huge issue is partially one of quality. Predatory publishers flood scientific literature with B.S that can be dangerous.
Pp 2
Narration: The other issue impacts scientists: those tricked into publishing in these journals can see a hit to their reputations. Image: A line up of three figures is shown with a text box underneath. The first two figures are literal clowns in full makeup while the third is a scientist with brown skin and brown hair looking horrified in their direction. The text underneath the three states” This issue: Balloon animals found to boost happiness page 8. The speed of trick flowers page 32. New cells found in clinical trials page 41.
Panel 1: Image: The shipwrecked sailor holding onto wood planks from page 1 floats in the ocean. He asks “So what do we do about this? Give up on open access?” Panel 2: Image: Rebecca is seen balancing on the mast of the ship with the sail behind her. He says “of course not! Open science is important. We just need to be careful.”
Narration: Look for red flags. Things like: Image: A red flag is seen in the sky. On the red flag there is a yellow circle which showcases Ponzi the shark.
Panel 1 Narration: Editors who have frank credentials, lack expertise that matches the journal or don’t exist at all. Image: A volleyball with a face painted on it in red (much like Wilson in Castaway) rests on a beach. Below it, a text box states: “Editor in Chief: Wilson V. Ball” Panel 2: Narration: Having a weird street address for a business or no about page. Image: An underwater cave is shown, There is a wooden sign in front of the cave that says “home of Natures.”
Panel 1 Narration: You’re naked to submit work entirely unsolicited. Image: An anglerfish with a letter in the place of its light antenna, floats in the deep sea. With sharp teeth it says “You got mail.” Panel 2: Narration: Promising rapid publication. Image: A stopwatch on a chain is shown with the intervals of 15, 30 and 45 on it. The top interval says “publish.”
Panel 1 Narration: Unsure about a publisher? You can ask a librarian or try using Cabells, a director of publishing opportunities. It identifies predatory publishers. We offer access to Cabells through Himmelfarb. Image: The interface of Cabells is shown where journals are marked as predatory. Panel 2 Narration: Good luck! Image: Rebecca is seen in the bird's nest, giving a salute to the audience. The ocean and sun can be seen behind her,
A list of sources\ Yup K. How Scientific Publishers’ Extreme Fees Put Profit Over Progress. Published online May 31, 2023. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.thenation.com/article/society/neuroimage-elsevier-editorial-board-journal-profit/ Miglani J. Apple Sales And Profits Analysis For FY 2023 — Top 10 Insights. Forrester. Published November 21, 2023. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/apple-sales-and-profits-analysis-for-fy-2023-top-10-insights/ Bueter R. Research Guides: Predatory Publishing: Home. Himmelfarb Health Science Library. Accessed May 29, 2024. https://guides.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/PredatoryPublishing/Home

Sources:

  1. Yup K. How Scientific Publishers’ Extreme Fees Put Profit Over Progress. Published online May 31, 2023. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.thenation.com/article/society/neuroimage-elsevier-editorial-board-journal-profit/
  2. Miglani J. Apple Sales And Profits Analysis For FY 2023 — Top 10 Insights. Forrester. Published November 21, 2023. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/apple-sales-and-profits-analysis-for-fy-2023-top-10-insights/
  3. Bueter R. Research Guides: Predatory Publishing: Home. Himmelfarb Health Science Library. Accessed May 29, 2024. https://guides.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/PredatoryPublishing/Home

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Fingers with arthritis resting on a blue cushion
Fingertip arthritis - DIP joint, by handarmdoc on Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons

May was designated as Arthritis Awareness Month by Congress and the President in 1972. An estimated 53.2 million US adults (21.2%) reported being diagnosed with some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia, in response to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey (Fallon et al., 2023). There are numerous types of arthritis. Because of its prevalence, as well as the financial impact of the various forms of arthritis – for the year 2017, the CDC estimated that osteoarthritis was the second most costly condition treated at US hospitals. Let’s look at a couple of recently published articles examining the impacts of arthritis on population health.

When we consider a condition that is as common within the population as arthritis, and as costly to treat, health disparities are a concern. In a brief report in the July 2023 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, researchers examined healthcare utilization by patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis (OA), focusing on whether these patients live in rural/isolated, largely rural, or urban locations (Desilet et al., 2023) The study was based on questionnaires filled out by over 37,000 RA patients and over 8200 OA patients. A majority of the RA patients responding (74.5%) lived in a rural area, and this proportion was similar for OA patients. By analyzing questionnaire responses indicating healthcare utilization over six months, the research team found that among RA patients, urban residents were more likely to utilize healthcare provided by some type of professional than their rural counterparts. The same was true for OA patients. Patients with both types of arthritis fare better under the care of a rheumatologist, and in rural areas, access to this expertise is more limited. The findings of this study suggest the importance of extending access to rheumatology care in rural communities that are not currently well-served.

A forthcoming article in the journal Rheumatology (d'Elia et al, 2024) reports on a study of symptoms in a primary care database, which tracked prodromal (early) symptoms for the 24 months prior to diagnosis, in over 70,000 RA patients, over a period of 18 years. When analyzed demographically and socioeconomically, the findings were that symptoms were reported differently in new-onset RA across ethnic groups. While some of this may be accounted for due to the way symptoms are reported by patients, delayed diagnosis and treatment is another potential factor. 

Another interesting finding of this study was the fact that of the symptoms reported, there was a discrepancy between the most common symptoms of RA (e.g. painful small joints of the hands, present in over half of RA patients) and the percentage of patients in the database who were reporting this symptom (10.2%). This may point to under-coding of symptoms, which would have an impact on treatment. Future studies may build on these findings delving more deeply into the differences in RA symptoms among different ethnic groups, including their underlying causes and their clinical implications.

Arthritis affects a large proportion of the population in the US and worldwide, and the burden falls more heavily on those who struggle to access care, as well as those who are not served equitably within healthcare settings. This Arthritis Awareness Month, consider how you might be able to contribute to our understanding of these disparities and help to cure them.

References

Fallon, E. A., Boring, M. A., Foster, A. L., Stowe, E. W., Lites, T. D., Odom, E. L., & Seth, P. (2023). Prevalence of Diagnosed Arthritis - United States, 2019-2021. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 72(41), 1101–1107. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7241a1

Desilet, L. W., Pedro, S., Katz, P., & Michaud, K. (2023). Urban and Rural Patterns of Health Care Utilization Among People With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis in a Large US Patient Registry. Arthritis Care & Research (2010). https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.25192

d'Elia, A., Baranskaya, A., Haroon, S., Hammond, B., Adderley, N. J., Nirantharakumar, K., Chandan, J. S., Falahee, M., & Raza, K. (2024). Prodromal symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in a primary care database: variation by ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Rheumatology (Oxford, England). Advance online publication.

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Himmelfarb Library provides the BrowZine journal reader to library users to help keep current and make browsing journal contents online easy. We are pleased to see an uptick in usage of BrowZine by library users this past year!

Infographic showing increased usage of BrowZine bookshelf, table of contents and full-text downloads for 2022-23

When searching Health Information @ Himmelfarb, the library catalog, you may have seen and used the links to View Issue Contents in catalog records:

Article search result screenshot with Download PDF and View Issue Contents options circled

These links direct users to BrowZine to view journal tables of contents and download full-text when available.

Screenshot of BrowZine table of contents for the journal Infants & Young Children

Library users can set up a BrowZine account and follow journals of interest to them by putting them on a BrowZine bookshelf. Whenever a new issue is published for a bookshelf journal, an email notifying of the new content is sent.

You can access BrowZine from a web browser or download the app for iOS or Android. When using the mobile app you can save articles to read offline later.   

Learn more about BrowZine in our Current Awareness Research Guide.

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Image from Wikipedia Commons.

As we embark on a new year, it is a fantastic time to focus on an often underestimated facet of our well-being: thyroid health. January marks Thyroid Awareness Month, providing an opportunity for students, teachers, and researchers within the field of medicine to understand the importance of a well-functioning thyroid. Beyond its role in supporting our metabolism, the thyroid holds a profound connection to cognitive function and the overall energy levels we feel throughout the day which gives us all the more reason to take a moment to further understand the thyroid, and why promoting thyroid health matters. 

Thyroid imbalances can manifest in symptoms such as fatigue, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and mood swings which may hinder our ability to function during daily activities or study. If you are experiencing unexplained symptoms, it may be beneficial to seek medical advice and also to encourage your patients to as well. Early detection and management of thyroid disorders can not only alleviate symptoms but can also contribute to an improvement in the quality of life. 

This January, Thyroid Awareness Month serves as a timely reminder for universities to actively promote a culture of health and well-being. Encouraging a proactive approach towards health fosters a community that prioritizes both physical and mental wellness.

In many ways, the silent hero in our well-being is the thyroid. If we take the time to understand the profound impact it has on our ability to function cognitively and advocate for regular screenings, we can collectively create a culture that empowers minds and supports the pursuit of knowledge. This thyroid awareness month, let's not only spread awareness but also take concrete steps towards a healthier, more resilient academic community.

Further reading on Thyroid health at Himmelfarb can be found at: 

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