Online Information Seeking Behaviour by Nurses and Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Online bibliographic databases are crucial for evidence-based practice.
• Access to up-to-date information is essential for informed clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess healthcare practitioners' awareness, usage, and perceived impact of online bibliographic databases.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to the use of these databases in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to 263 healthcare practitioners (nurses and doctors).
• Statistical analyses included Chi-square, t-tests, and logistic regression.
• A 25-item questionnaire gathered data on awareness, use, and impact.

Main Results:

• 93% of participants were aware of online databases, but 18.3% were non-users.
• Primary reasons for use included filling knowledge gaps; reasons for non-use were alternative information sources or perceived lack of need.
• Both nurses and doctors believe databases improve patient care and are part of their clinical role.

Conclusions:

• While awareness is high, utilization of online bibliographic databases among healthcare practitioners can be improved.
• Targeted training is necessary to enhance search skills and promote greater integration into daily clinical practice.
• Facilitating database use can positively impact patient care and support evidence-based practice.