Skip to Main Content

Using CINAHL: Combining Searches

This guide is intended to teach users how to use the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL).

Example 2

Topic:

STDs and School Health Education programs geared towards grade school & high school students. Articles must have been published between 2000-2010.

Step 1:

Using CINAHL, conduct a search for STD and make sure these boxes are checked: Suggest Subject Terms, Apply related words, & Also search within the full text of the articles, before clicking the Search button.

(Screenshot of Step 1 attached below)

Step 2:

Check the box next to Sexually Transmitted Diseases and include all subheadings. Check the box for Major Concept and click on the green Search Database button.

(Screenshot of Step 2 attached below)

Step 3:

Now perform a second search for School Health Education. Click the Search button.

(Screenshot of Step 3 attached below)

Step 4:

There is a CINAHL subject heading for School Health Education and you can click on the Scope icon to make sure this heading covers both grade school & high school students (as our topic includes both).  Click the green Search Database button.

(Screenshot of step 4 attached below)

Step 5:

Check the boxes for Search 1 & 2 (Search ID# S1 & S2) and click the Search with AND button.

(Screenshot of step 5 attached below)

Step 6:

To access the full text of an article click on the PDF or HTML links. Contact the Reference Desk for assistance locating and opening full text articles!

Just need full text?

If you are searching within CINAHL, try using the  button.

Having Problems?

Step by Step Help Sheet

Document Delivery

If you can't access an article you need, don't worry. We have a service called Document Delivery/ILL that can retrieve articles from other libraries. 

Check out our Document Delivery/ILL page for more information.