Table 1.

Single term with the best sensitivity (keeping specificity ≥50%), best specificity (keeping sensitivity ≥50%), and best optimization of sensitivity and specificity (based on the lowest possible absolute difference between sensitivity and specificity) for detecting mental health content in MEDLINE in 2000

Search term OVID search*	Sensitivity (%) (95% CI) n = 3,277	Specificity (%) (95% CI) n = 8,956	Precision (%) (95% CI) n = 2,990	Accuracy (%) (95% CI) n = 12,233
Best sensitivity, best specificity and best optimization of sensitivity & specificity
exp mental disorders	74.7 (73.3 to 76.2)	94.0 (93.5 to 94.5)	81.1 (80.5 to 83.3)	88.8 (88.3 to 89.4)

*Search strategies are reported using Ovid's search engine syntax for MEDLINE.

exp = explode, a search term that automatically includes closely related indexing terms.