PILOTS Database: A National Center for PTSD Resources

PILOTS is the Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress database. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website on PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders), PILOTS is the largest citation database on this topic. It attempts to include all publications relevant to PTSD and other forms of traumatic stress, whatever their origin without disciplinary, linguistic, or geographic limitations. Coverage is from 1871 to the present, with monthly updates.

The database contains PTSD information on all types of people and situations, not only veterans. Use is open to the public. In addition to author, title, and source, each record also gives a brief summary and a list of keywords and descriptors from the PILOTS Thesaurus.

For example, the records found with a basic search on “campus attacks” include dissertations and journal articles. For journal citations, the detailed records indicate whether the publication is peer reviewed. It is possible to narrow the results by publication date, document type, language, and more. In addition, the Advanced Search feature allows you to limit the search terms to specific fields, such as the document type or publication title.

Other features include the ability to save a search, to set up alerts, and to create an RSS feed. It is also possible to export records to bibliographic management software such as EndNote.

To access this resource, type “pilots” in the search.HSLS box on the HSLS home page. The PILOTS Database can also be accessed from the Databases A-Z list.

For more information, contact the HSLS Main Desk at 412-648-8866 or Ask a Librarian.

~Linda Hartman

PILOTS: Published International Literature On Traumatic Stress