Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42284277›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Development and validation of search hedges for Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) populations in Ovid MEDLINE and Ovid APA PsycInfo.

Ryn Gagen, Scott Marsalis, Chi Dinh, Milo Applejohn, Rosa Shah, Ophelia Xiner Tong, Zack Marshall, Avery Everhart

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ryn GagenUniversity Libraries, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
Scott MarsalisUniversity Libraries, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.
Chi DinhDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Milo ApplejohnFaculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Rosa ShahDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7525-3465
Ophelia Xiner TongDepartment of Geography, School of Arts, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Zack MarshallDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Avery EverhartDepartment of Geography, School of Arts, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6146-0180

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThis paper describes the development and validation of highly sensitive search hedges for Ovid MEDLINE and Ovid APA PsycInfo that effectively identify literature on transgender and gender diverse (TGD) populations.

methodsTwo librarians developed the search hedges using relevant keywords and controlled vocabulary terms, building on previous work on identifying transgender populations in evidence synthesis. The hedges were tested and refined to capture diverse and expansive gender identities across cultures and disciplines. The hedges were validated for sensitivity using a gold standard set of 144 articles from the Knowsy portal of evidence syntheses tagged as Two-Spirit, transgender, or gender non-binary. To assess precision an international research team of subject experts independently screened a randomized sample of search results in a two-stage screening process with an additional screener resolving disputes.

resultsThe final search hedges demonstrated 100% sensitivity in both MEDLINE and APA PsycInfo, identifying all 144 relevant articles from the Knowsy gold standard set. The MEDLINE search hedge achieved a 71% precision, and the APA PsycInfo hedge achieved a 67% precision. These results balance comprehensive retrieval while minimizing non-relevant articles for an efficient screening process.

conclusionsThese search hedges in MEDLINE and APA PsycInfo are valuable tools for researchers and librarians to more effectively identify literature on TGD populations. These tools will be crucial for ongoing work in addressing gaps in research and health disparities faced by TGD populations and will be particularly valuable for researchers conducting evidence synthesis projects related to this population.

Indexed as

Information Storage and RetrievalMEDLINETransgender PersonsFemaleGender-Nonconforming PersonsHumansMale

Identifiers

PMID42284277
PMCPMC13262833

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.