CINAHL Search Filters
Apply a pre-made CINAHL search strategy or "search filter" to your search to save you time. Filters are optimised search strategies designed by search experts. They aid effective searching by providing a more precise and relevant set of results.
There are two search filter types:
- Study design/methodology filters
- Topic filters
A search filter is used in combination with search terms that describe your topic of interest. Identify the main concepts and their keywords in your topic or research question before you apply a search filter.
Follow the steps in this guide to learn how to combine your chosen CINAHL search filter with your identified search terms.
Qualitative Studies - CINAHL. In: CADTH Search Filters Database. Ottawa: CADTH; 2022: https://searchfilters.cadth.ca/link/92
Apply search filter in CINAHL
- Highlight and copy the Search Filter on this page
- Open EPOCH database CINAHL Complete
- On Advanced Search page paste the Search Filter in first search box and click Search
Apply your research concept in database
- Enter search term or phrase to describe your main concept in first search box
- [Optional] Select a relevant field from Select a Field drop-down menu
- Click Search
- If combining more than one concept repeat steps 1-3
Combine filter and your research concept(s)
- Click Search History
- On Search History page tick relevant searches and click Search with AND
MH Qualitative Studies OR MH Grounded theory OR MH Narratives OR MH Interviews+ OR MH Audiorecording OR MH Focus Groups OR MH Research, Nursing OR MH Discourse Analysis OR MH Content Analysis OR MH Ethnographic Research OR MH Ethnonursing Research OR MH Constant Comparative Method OR MH Qualitative Validity+ OR MH Purposive Sample OR MH Observational Methods+ OR MH Field Studies OR MH Theoretical Sample OR MH Phenomenology OR MH Phenomenological Research OR MH Life Experiences+ OR MH Cluster Sample+ OR TI qualitative OR AB qualitative OR TI interview* OR AB interview* OR TI (theme* or thematic) OR AB (theme* or thematic) OR TI ("ethnological research") OR AB ("ethnological research") OR TI ethnonursing OR AB ethnonursing OR TI ethnograph* OR AB ethnograph* OR TI phenomenol* OR AB phenomenol* OR TI "focus group*" OR AB "focus group*" OR TI (grounded N1 (theor* OR analys?s OR research OR studies OR study)) OR AB (grounded N1 (theor* OR analys?s OR research OR studies OR study)) OR TI ("life stor*") OR AB ("life stor*") OR TI (emic OR etic OR hermeneutic* OR heuristic* OR semiotic) OR AB (emic OR etic OR hermeneutic* OR heuristic* OR semiotic) OR TI (data N1 saturat*) OR AB (data N1 saturat*) OR TI ("participant observ*") OR AB ("participant observ*") OR TI ("social construct*" OR postmodern* OR "post-structural*" OR poststructural* OR "post-modern*" OR feminis*) OR AB ("social construct*" OR postmodern* OR "post-structural*" OR poststructural* OR "post-modern*" OR feminis*) OR TI ("action research" OR "cooperative inquir*" OR "co-operative inquir*") OR AB ("action research" OR "cooperative inquir*" OR "co-operative inquir*") OR TI (humanistic OR existential OR experiential OR paradigm*) OR AB (humanistic OR existential OR experiential OR paradigm*) OR TI (field N1 (research OR study OR studies)) OR AB (field N1 (research OR study OR studies)) OR TI "human science" OR AB "human science" OR TI "biographical method" OR AB "biographical method" OR TI ("theoretical sampl*") OR AB ("theoretical sampl*") OR TI ("purpos* N4 sampl*") OR AB ("purpos* N4 sampl*") OR TI ("open-ended" OR narrative* OR textual OR texts OR "semi-structured") OR AB ("open-ended" OR narrative* OR textual OR texts OR "semi-structured") OR TI ("life world" OR "life-world" OR "conversation analys?s" OR "personal experience*" OR "theoretical saturation") OR AB ("life world" OR "life-world" OR "conversation analys?s" OR "personal experience*" OR "theoretical saturation") OR TI ((life OR lived) N1 experience*) OR AB ((life OR lived) N1 experience*) OR TI ("cluster sampl*") OR AB ("cluster sampl*") OR TI ("observational method*") OR AB ("observational method*") OR TI ("content analysis") OR AB ("content analysis") OR TI ((discurs* OR discourse*) N3 analys?s) OR AB ((discurs* OR discourse*) N3 analys?s) OR TI (constant N1 (comparison OR comparative)) OR AB (constant N1 (comparison OR comparative)) OR TI ("narrative analys?s") OR AB ("narrative analys?s") OR TI (heidegger* OR colaizzi* OR spiegelberg* OR merleau* OR husserl* OR foucault* OR ricoeur OR glaser*) OR AB (heidegger* OR colaizzi* OR spiegelberg* OR merleau* OR husserl* OR foucault* OR ricoeur OR glaser*) OR TI (van N1 manen*) OR AB (van N1 manen*) OR TI (van N1 kaam*) OR AB (van N1 kaam*) OR TI (Corbin* N2 strauss*) OR AB (Corbin* N2 strauss*)
Perspectives & Experiences of Patients and Caregivers - CINAHL. In: CADTH Search Filters Database. Ottawa: CADTH; 2022: https://searchfilters.cadth.ca/link/89
Apply search filter in CINAHL
- Highlight and copy the Search Filter on this page
- Open EPOCH database CINAHL Complete
- On Advanced Search page paste the Search Filter in first search box and click Search
Apply your research concept in database
- Enter search term or phrase to describe your main concept in first search box
- [Optional] Select a relevant field from Select a Field drop-down menu
- Click Search
- If combining more than one concept repeat steps 1-3
Combine filter and your research concept(s)
- Click Search History
- On Search History page tick relevant searches and click Search with AND
(MH "Patient Satisfaction") OR (MH "Consumer Satisfaction") OR (MH "Decision Making, Patient") OR (MH "Decision Making, Family") OR (MH "Caregiver Burden") OR (MH "Caregivers") OR (MH "Caregiver Support") OR (MH "Caregiver-Patient Relationship (Iowa NOC)") OR (MH "Family Caregiver Status (Iowa NOC)") OR (MH "Caregiver Well-Being (Iowa NOC)") OR (MH "Caregiver Support (Iowa NIC)") OR (MH "Caregiver Stressors (Iowa NOC)") OR (MH "Family") OR (MH "Patient-Family Relations") OR (MH "Family Attitudes") OR TI ((patient or patients or proband* or individuals or survivor* or family or families or familial or kindred* or relative or relatives or "care giver*" or caregiver* or carer or carers or personal or spous* or partner or partners or couples or users or participant* or people or child* or teenager* or adolescent* or youth or girls or boys or adults or elderly or females or males or women* or men or men's or mother* or father* or parents or parent or parental or maternal or paternal) and (preference* or preferred or input or experience or experiences or value or values or perspective* or perception* or perceive or perceived or expectation* or choice* or choose* or choosing or "day-to-day" or lives or participat* or acceptance or acceptability or acceptable or accept or accepted or adheren* or adhere or nonadheren* or complian* or noncomplian* or willingness or convenience or convenient or challenges or concerns or limitations or "quality of life" or satisfaction or satisfied or dissatisfaction or dissatisfied or burden or attitude* or knowledge or belief* or opinion* or understanding or lessons or reaction* or motivation* or motivated or intention* or involvement or engag* or consult* or interact* or dialog* or conversation* or decision* or decide* or deciding or empower* or barrier* or facilitator* or survey* or questionnaire* or Likert)) OR AB ((patient or patients or proband* or individuals or survivor* or family or families or familial or kindred* or relative or relatives or "care giver*" or caregiver* or carer or carers or personal or spous* or partner or partners or couples or users or participant* or people or child* or teenager* or adolescent* or youth or girls or boys or adults or elderly or females or males or women* or men or men's or mother* or father* or parents or parent or parental or maternal or paternal) N3 (preference* or preferred or input or experience or experiences or value or values or perspective* or perception* or perceive or perceived or expectation* or choice* or choose* or choosing or "day-to-day" or lives or participat* or acceptance or acceptability or acceptable or accept or accepted or adheren* or adhere or nonadheren* or complian* or noncomplian* or willingness or convenience or convenient or challenges or concerns or limitations or "quality of life" or satisfaction or satisfied or dissatisfaction or dissatisfied or burden or attitude* or knowledge or belief* or opinion* or understanding or lessons or reaction* or motivation* or motivated or intention* or involvement or engag* or consult* or interact* or dialog* or conversation* or decision* or decide* or deciding or empower* or barrier* or facilitator* or survey* or questionnaire* or Likert)) OR TI (patient N1 (reported or centered* or centred* or focused)) OR AB (patient N1 (reported or centered* or centred* or focused)) OR TI (treatment* N2 (satisf* or refus*)) OR AB (treatment* N2 (satisf* or refus*))
Guidelines - Standard - CINAHL. In: CADTH Search Filters Database. Ottawa: CADTH; 2022: https://searchfilters.cadth.ca/link/76
Apply search filter in CINAHL
- Highlight and copy the Search Filter on this page
- Open EPOCH database CINAHL Complete
- On Advanced Search page paste the Search Filter in first search box and click Search
Apply your research concept in database
- Enter search term or phrase to describe your main concept in first search box
- [Optional] Select a relevant field from Select a Field drop-down menu
- Click Search
- If combining more than one concept repeat steps 1-3
Combine filter and your research concept(s)
- Click Search History
- On Search History page tick relevant searches and click Search with AND
PT (practice guidelines or standards or protocol or critical path or care plan) or TI (guideline* or standards or consensus* or recommendat*) or AU (guideline* or standards or consensus* or recommendat*) or CA (guideline* or standards or consensus* or recommendat*) or TI ("practice parameter*" or "position statement*" or "policy statement*" or CPG or CPGs or "best practice*") or TI (care N2 path or care N2 paths or care N2 pathway or care N2 pathways or care N2 map or care N2 maps or care N2 plan or care N2 plans or care N2 standard*) or TI (critical N2 path or critical N2 paths or critical N2 pathway or critical N2 pathways or critical N2 protocol* or clinical N2 path or clinical N2 paths or clinical N2 pathway or clinical N2 pathways or clinical N2 protocol* or practice N2 path or practice N2 paths or practice N2 pathway or practice N2 pathways or practice N2 protocol*) or TI (algorithm* AND (pharmacotherap* or chemotherap* or chemotreatment* or therap* or treatment* or intervention*)) or (PT algorithm AND TI (pharmacotherap* or chemotherap* or chemotreatment* or therap* or treatment* or intervention*)) or TI (algorithm* AND (screening or examination or test or tested or testing or assessment* or diagnosis or diagnoses or diagnosed or diagnosing)) or (PT algorithm AND TI (screening or examination or test or tested or testing or assessment* or diagnosis or diagnoses or diagnosed or diagnosing))
Adapted from: SR / MA / HTA / ITC - CINAHL. In: CADTH Search Filters Database. Ottawa: CADTH; 2022: https://searchfilters.cadth.ca/link/98
Apply search filter in CINAHL
- Highlight and copy the Search Filter on this page
- Open EPOCH database CINAHL Complete
- On Advanced Search page paste the Search Filter in first search box and click Search
Apply your research concept in database
- Enter search term or phrase to describe your main concept in first search box
- [Optional] Select a relevant field from Select a Field drop-down menu
- Click Search
- If combining more than one concept repeat steps 1-3
Combine filter and your research concept(s)
- Click Search History
- On Search History page tick relevant searches and click Search with AND
(MH "meta analysis" OR MH "systematic review" OR PT "systematic review" OR PT "meta analysis" OR (((TI systematic* OR AB systematic*) N3 ((TI review* OR AB review*) OR (TI overview* OR AB overview*))) OR ((TI methodologic* OR AB methodologic*) N3 ((TI review* OR AB review*) OR (TI overview* OR AB overview*)))) OR (((TI quantitative OR AB quantitative) N3 ((TI review* OR AB review*) OR (TI overview* OR AB overview*) OR (TI synthes* OR AB synthes*))) OR ((TI research OR AB research) N3 ((TI integrati* OR AB integrati*) OR (TI overview* OR AB overview*)))) OR (((TI integrative OR AB integrative) N3 ((TI review* OR AB review*) OR (TI overview* OR AB overview*))) OR ((TI collaborative OR AB collaborative) N3 ((TI review* OR AB review*) OR (TI overview* OR AB overview*))) OR ((TI pool* OR AB pool*) N3 (TI analy* OR AB analy*))) OR ((TI "data synthes*" OR AB "data synthes*") OR (TI "data extraction*" OR AB "data extraction*") OR (TI "data abstraction*" OR AB "data abstraction*")) OR ((TI handsearch* OR AB handsearch*) OR (TI "hand search*" OR AB "hand search*")) OR ((TI "mantel haenszel" OR AB "mantel haenszel") OR (TI peto OR AB peto) OR (TI "der simonian" OR AB "der simonian") OR (TI dersimonian OR AB dersimonian) OR (TI "fixed effect*" OR AB "fixed effect*") OR (TI "latin square*" OR AB "latin square*")) OR ((TI "met analy*" OR AB "met analy*") OR (TI metanaly* OR AB metanaly*)) OR ((TI "meta regression*" OR AB "meta regression*") OR (TI metaregression* OR AB metaregression*)) OR (MW meta-analy* OR MW metaanaly* OR MW "systematic review*") OR ((TI medline OR AB medline OR MW medline) OR (TI cochrane OR AB cochrane OR MW cochrane) OR (TI pubmed OR AB pubmed OR MW pubmed) OR (TI medlars OR AB medlars OR MW medlars) OR (TI embase OR AB embase OR MW embase) OR (TI cinahl OR AB cinahl OR MW cinahl)) OR (SO Cochrane OR SO evidence report) OR ((TI comparative OR AB comparative) N3 ((TI efficacy OR AB efficacy) OR (TI effectiveness OR AB effectiveness))) OR ((TI "outcomes research" OR AB "outcomes research") OR (TI "relative effectiveness" OR AB "relative effectiveness")) OR (((TI indirect OR AB indirect) OR (TI "indirect treatment" OR AB "indirect treatment") OR (TI mixed-treatment OR AB mixed-treatment) OR (TI bayesian OR AB bayesian)) N3 (TI comparison* OR AB comparison*)) OR ((TI multi* OR AB multi*) N3 (TI treatment OR AB treatment) N3 (TI comparison* OR AB comparison*)) OR ((TI mixed OR AB mixed) N3 (TI treatment OR AB treatment) N3 ((TI meta-analy* OR AB meta-analy*) OR (TI metaanaly* OR AB metaanaly*))) OR (TI "umbrella review*" OR AB "umbrella review*") OR ((TI multi* OR AB multi*) N2 (TI paramet* OR AB paramet*) N2 (TI evidence OR AB evidence) N2 (TI synthesis OR AB synthesis)) OR ((TI multiparamet* OR AB multiparamet*) N2 (TI evidence OR AB evidence) N2 (TI synthesis OR AB synthesis)) OR ((TI multi-paramet* OR AB multi-paramet*) N2 (TI evidence OR AB evidence) N2 (TI synthesis OR AB synthesis))