Effectiveness of bibliographic searches performed by paediatric residents and interns assisted by librarians. A

Paolo Gardois1, Roberto Calabrese, Nicoletta Colombi

  • 1School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. pgardois@gmail.com

Insights

Biomedical librarians significantly improve search outcomes for pediatricians using medical databases. Assisted searches yielded higher success rates compared to unassisted searches, demonstrating the value of librarian support in clinical information retrieval.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Informatics
  • Information Science
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Paediatricians face significant challenges in effectively utilizing information retrieval technologies for clinical practice.
  • Barriers to information access hinder evidence-based decision-making in paediatrics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate if biomedical librarian assistance enhances the success of searches conducted by paediatricians in biomedical databases.
  • To assess the impact of librarian support on paediatricians' ability to retrieve relevant clinical information.

Main Methods:

  • A controlled trial was conducted with paediatric residents and interns at a teaching hospital.
  • Participants were randomized into an assisted search group (with librarian support) and a control group.
  • Search performance was assessed using a standardized tool, evaluating question formulation, retrieval, and selection of records.

Main Results:

  • The assisted group achieved a significantly higher median search score (73.6) compared to the control group (50.4).
  • The difference in median scores (23.2 points) favored the assisted group (P=0.013).
  • Librarian assistance led to a statistically significant improvement in search session success.

Conclusions:

  • Quantitative evidence confirms that paediatricians benefit significantly from librarian assistance when searching biomedical databases.
  • Integrating biomedical librarians into search processes can enhance clinical information retrieval for paediatricians.
  • Librarian support is a valuable strategy to overcome barriers in accessing medical literature for paediatric care.
Abstract

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