posted on 2011-09-09, 11:53authored byAli S.K. Mohamed-Arraid
Objective: The aims of this study were to examine urban and rural doctors’
information needs and information seeking behaviours; review their use of
information channels; sources; information and communication technologies and
to assess their information literacy. It was expected that this would inform future
efforts that support doctors in their daily care of patients.
Methodology: A multi-method approach was used in this study. The main
reason for that was to increase understanding gained from the quantitative data by
obtaining more in-depth information from qualitative data and to integrate the
advantages of both methods. Concurrent triangulation strategy was chosen to
conduct the quantitative and qualitative study. An exploratory survey was the
research method, and a paper based questionnaire and face to face interviews
(along with critical incident techniques embedded in the interview) were the
research techniques used to gather data.
Results: out of 1029 questionnaires that were distributed 334 (32.46%) were
returned. The valid responses were 256 (24.88%). Patient data, disease
information, drug information, medical images & lab results, medical complications
and guidelines were the main types of doctors’ information needs. Education and
clinical practice were the main contexts that give rise to doctors’ information
needs. Ambiguity, uncertainty, rare diseases and the multiplicity of options were
the motivations for information needs. Updating, answering colleagues/patient
questions and writing research papers were the purposes for which information
was used. Personal library and human sources were the heavily used channels to
access information. Books rather than journals was indicated the top information
source. In addition, more than a quarter of urban doctors and 41.5% of rural
doctors ranked online databases as the last source to be consulted. The majority
of doctors indicated a difficulty in obtaining electronic information particularly from
online databases; moreover the majority reported that sometimes they would like
to have the search performed by a mediator. The majority demonstrated that they
use field search and more than one term, but there was less use of Boolean
parameters or truncation in the search strategies. Availability, ease of access and
v
use, integration in the work environment and information skills were the main
types of barrier to using information sources, particularly electronic sources.
Summary, the study identified that context, such as clinical work, where a
particular task e.g. decision making leads to information needs. These may lead to
information seeking behaviour to fulfil the need. However, doctors’ information
seeking encountered barriers that hampered the fulfilment of information needs.