Is HINARI appropriate for medical students in the developing world?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Digital Libraries
• Health Informatics

Background:

• The Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) provides vital online access to scientific information for institutions globally.
• HINARI was established to address the medical literature needs of developing countries.
• Limited research exists on HINARI's effectiveness and utility, particularly for medical schools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if HINARI's available e-books can constitute a virtual library sufficient for a medical school curriculum.
• To identify gaps in HINARI's e-book resources concerning medical school curricula.

Main Methods:

• Categorization and review of medically relevant e-books accessible through HINARI.
• Analysis of e-book content against medical school curricula from Rwanda, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Main Results:

• HINARI's current e-book selection is inadequate to fully cover the curricula of surveyed medical schools.
• A significant literature gap exists in essential subject areas.
• An estimated 14% increase in HINARI's e-book resources could fulfill the entire medical school curriculum requirements.

Conclusions:

• HINARI is a valuable resource but requires expansion of its medical textbook collection to adequately support medical education.
• Collaborations with publishers are crucial to bridge the identified content gaps.
• Targeted additions to HINARI's e-book library can significantly enhance its role in medical school education worldwide.