Introduction

The Trials Register of Promoting Health Interventions (TRoPHI) is unique in its focussed coverage of trials of interventions in health promotion and public health worldwide. It covers both randomised and non-randomised controlled trials and currently contains details of over 20,000 trials.

We are currently revising the interface and content of TRoPHI. Many reports have been manually keyworded with generic keywords (e.g. country, health focus, population group, trial type (RCT or trial)). We aim to apply automated keywording shortly on the remaining records.

Using TRoPHI

• Searches can be carried out using keyword and free-text terms. Searches can be combined using AND, OR, NOT, within the search history page. It is also possible to search by year and use wildcards.

• Reports enable visual mapping and analysis of the search results.

• Help provides advice on using this database.

Recording your findings

• Search results can be exported in RIS format.

• Reports can be cut and pasted into word processing software. Landscape format provides the best results

• Search strategies can be exported in XML format for the purposes of uploading and re-running at a later date.

Obtaining further information on the study

The study record includes the citation and researcher-assigned keywords. There are links for seeking out the record on PubMed and Google. Items in PubMed often include the abstracts, and these can be added to a PubMed clipboard for saving or exporting.

How are the trials identified?

The reports are identified in the following ways:

• As a result of searches to identify studies for systematic reviews within the EPPI-Centre;

• Quarterly sensitive searches since August 2004;

• As the official register of the former Cochrane Health Promotion and Public Health field, it contains the results of hand searching journals conducted by the Field.

How current is the register?

TRoPHI is updated quarterly to keep it as current as possible.

User consultation

We welcome any feedback on the utility and usability of TRoPHI. Please send any comments to EPPIAdmin@ioe.ac.uk