Geographic search filters

Editorial in the August 2025 issue of JBI Evidence Synthesis, ‘Geographic search filters: promising tools for contextualizing research’ accompanies a scoping review which revealed that validated geographic search filters are currently not widely available. This is despite their clear utility.

A geographic context in medical and health research is important because it can  explain how geography influences understanding of disease patterns, healthcare systems, and cultural impacts on health. 

However, as the editorial points out, there are limitations of traditional literature search methods when attempting to focus on specific regions. These include using country names alone or relying on author affiliations, which often lead to irrelevant results or missed information. 

Geographic search filters as a robust solution to these challenges, the editorial argues, and points out the need need for careful development, validation, and transparent reporting of these filters to ensure their accuracy and widespread applicability. 

An editorial in motion accompanies the published editorial:

Read the editorial in full in the August 2025 issue of JBI Evidence Synthesis.