Help / Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the Resource Guide for Public Health Preparedness?

• The Resource Guide is a web-accessible bibliographic database of electronic resources related to public health preparedness. Some of the resources focus on how the public health workforce can improve its readiness to respond to emergencies; others provide guidance on how to mitigate and manage the public health consequences of disasters.
• The Resource Guide is a tool for practice-based public health professionals who need to find preparedness information in the fullest form, and in the quickest way possible.
• The Resource Guide has been developed by the New York Academy of Medicine and is funded by the National Library of Medicine.

Who should use it?

• While most materials are for the public health workforce (see Audience Types) the guide does include information for the general public and the research community.

What's in it, and what's not?

• The Resource Guide provides access only to those items freely available on the web in an electronic format. Some resources may require a free registration to access. Materials available only in print or that are accessed through paid subscriptions are not included.
• The Resource Guide includes a variety of materials including research and review articles, guidelines and protocols, Web sites and fact sheets (see Resource Types for a complete list.) See Sources Scanned for Resource Guide Content for a list of organizations that are reviewed for current content.
• Materials from general news sources, such as Google News, are not included.

How often is the database updated?

• New resources are added to the database as found. A date stamp is provided on the bottom of each page indicating when the database was last updated.

What are the filters and how do I use them?

• Filters were developed to allow for materials to be selected or filtered based on several indicators.
• The filters used in the Resource Guide were selected based on discussions with members of the public health workforce and research community. They include Audience Type, Resource Type, Event Category, Subject Headings, and CDC Focus Area.

How were the Subject Headings developed?

• In an attempt to create a controlled vocabulary with a natural language feel, the Subject Headings were developed using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), Taxonomy of Human Services (THS, by Georgia Sales), the Hazlit Database and the literature of the field.
• Each record receives up to three headings from a broad to narrow scope that imitates the normal cataloging practice of subdivisions but in a "keyword searchable" approach.

What are the other available access points?

• A simple keyword query (basic search) will search for your term in the following fields: Author, Title, Subtitle, Sponsor, Subject Headings, and Annotation.

What if I don't find what I'm looking for?

• If the Resource Guide is returning no results for your search, try a broader subject approach (for example, Vaccines instead of Vaccinia virus).
• If the Resource Guide is not returning relevant search results, look at the "full view" to see why those records are being retrieved. Are the search terms you used included in the title, abstract, or annotation? Look at the subject terms, and consider what relationship they might have to your search.
• Still no luck? Contact us. We will investigate any problems with the database and attempt to find relevant resources for your search term(s).