What is MeSH?
Answer
MeSH stands for Medical Subject Headings which can be found in the MedLine database. MeSH terms are the exact subject headings (often referred to as controlled vocabulary) that have been assigned to an article based on its content. For example, the MeSH subject heading for choking is “airway obstruction.” If I’m searching Medline and enter “choking” as a search term, I might see 1,000 results. However, if I enter “airway obstruction” I may see 10,000 results. At other times, using the exact MeSH term will focus your search and produce fewer results. You can combine MeSH headings and other keywords together to form an effective search strategy.
To find the correct MeSH term for your topic, look for the link at the top of the page that says “MeSH Headings” in Medline, or “CINAHL Headings” in the CINAHL database.