ABSTRACT
Specialized Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) databases and bulletin boards, as are more general biomedical and social science databases. Online databases are produced by various organizations and associations worldwide. Formulating a search will vary from database to database since each vendor mounts a database using its own search software and each database is produced with its own method of indexing. It should be noted that most biomedical and social science databases contain references to AIDS due to the very nature and size of the epidemic. The nature of the research will dictate the type of sources that should be searched. For specific questions relating to human immunodeficiency virus or AIDS, it is most efficient to select an AIDS-specific database; for comprehensive research, it is necessary to consult multiple databases. Producers or vendors of the electronic sources of information can provide additional information regarding more detailed descriptions of content, costs, and methods of access.
