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Environmental and Policy Approaches to Increase Physical Activity: Point-of-Decision Prompts to Encourage Use of Stairs

Search Strategy

The articles considered for this review were obtained from systematic searches of multiple databases, reviews of bibliographic reference lists, and consultations with experts in the field. Our updated search for evidence encompassed the period from 2000 to March 2005, which overlapped with the search conducted for the original Community Guide review of these interventions (search period 1980–2000).

The original review utilized the following seven databases: Enviroline, MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Social SciSearch, Sociological Abstracts, Sportdiscus, and Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS). For our updated search, the following 15 databases were examined: ArticleFirst, CINAHL, EMBASE, Enviroline, Health Promotion and Education Database, MEDLINE, Ovid, PsycINFO, PubMed, Social SciSearch, Social Science Citation Index , Sociological Abstracts, SPORTDiscus, Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS), and WorldCat.

This list includes some databases not available at the time of the original review. The search strategies for a selection of these databases is included below.

Database: Ovid MEDLINE(R)

[1999 to April Week 1 2005]
  1. exercise/ or physical fitness/ (17239)
  2. (physical activit$ or climb$ or walk$).mp. (21373)
  3. 1 or 2 (33722)
  4. health promotion/ and environment/ (32)
  5. health promotion/ or environmental change$.mp. or environmental intervention$.mp. [mp=title, original title, abstract, name of substance word, subject heading word] (10840)
  6. 4 or 5 (10840)
  7. 3 or 6 (43437)
  8. decision making/ or point of decision.mp. or prompt$.mp. or decision$.mp. [mp=title, original title, abstract, name of substance word, subject heading word] (62856)
  9. 7 and 8 (891)
  10. stair$.mp. (1071)
  11. 9 and 10 (18)
  12. limit 11 to (english language and yr=2000 - 2005) (13)
  13. from 12 keep 2,6-9,12-13 (7)
  14. from 13 keep 1-7 (7)

Database: EMBASE

[1996 to 2005 Week 15]
  1. exercise/ or fitness/ (31388)
  2. physical activity/ or climb$.mp. or walk$.mp. [mp=title, abstract, subject headings, drug trade name, original title, device manufacturer, drug manufacturer name] (34061)
  3. 1 or 2 (59826)
  4. health promotion/ and environment/ (56)
  5. health promotion/ or environmental change$.mp. or environmental intervention$.mp. [mp=title, abstract, subject headings, drug trade name, original title, device manufacturer, drug manufacturer name] (13841)
  6. 4 or 5 (13841)
  7. 3 or 6 (72094)
  8. decision making/ or point of decision.mp. or prompt$.mp. or decision$.mp. (73887)
  9. 7 and 8 (1613)
  10. stair$.mp. (1496)
  11. 9 and 10 (22)
  12. limit 11 to (english language and yr=2000 - 2005) (14)
  13. from 12 keep 2-3,6-7,9-13 (9)
  14. from 13 keep 1-9 (9)

Database: PsycINFO

[2000 to April Week 2 2005]
  1. exercise/ or physical fitness/ (2496)
  2. (physical activit$ or climb$ or walk$).mp. [mp=title, abstract, subject headings, table of contents, key concepts] (4335)
  3. 1 or 2 (5719)
  4. health promotion/ and environment/ (17)
  5. health promotion/ or environmental change$.mp. or environmental intervention$.mp. [mp=title, abstract, subject headings, table of contents, key concepts] (2334)
  6. 4 or 5 (2334)
  7. 3 or 6 (7699)
  8. decision making/ or point of decision.mp. or prompt$.mp. or decision$.mp. (20959)
  9. 7 and 8 (323)
  10. stair$.mp. (188)
  11. 9 and 10 (5)
  12. limit 11 to english language (5)
  13. from 12 keep 1-5 (5)

Database: Chronic Disease Prevention File Health Promotion and Education Database

  1. MJ= exercise or physical activity or physical fitness or physical fitness programs
  2. tw= stair* and (prompt* or decision*)
  3. 1 and 2
  4. 3 and yr = 2000-2005

Database: SPORTDiscus_1962-2005/Sep (c) 2005 Sport Information Resource Centre

  1. stair? and (health promotion or prompt? or decision?)

Total = 4

Database: Web of Science

(includes Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index)
  1. Stair* and (prompt* or decision*)
  2. 1 and yr = 2000-2005
Total: 11