Salman Bin Naeem1, Rubina Bhatti2. 1. The Children's Hospital & The Institute of Child Health, Multan, Pakistan. 2. Department of Library and Information Science, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Primary care physicians (PCPs) need a wide range of clinical information (CI) resources to manage their patients. Continued access to these resources in their practice settings provides self-reliance and a better approach towards clinical decision making. OBJECTIVE: To compare the PCPs CI needs and access to CI in rural versus non-rural practice setting. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Government health centres of the District of Multan, Pakistan. PCPs were classified into rural and non-rural according to their practice setting using the State Office of Rural Health definition. Rural means 'more than 10 miles from a population centre of 30 000 or more'. RESULTS: The CI needs of rural and non-rural PCPs were the same, but rural PCPs had significantly less access to nearly all CI resources when compared to non-rural PCPs. Age was a major determining factor of perceived information needs for continuing medical education but not for accessing CI. DISCUSSION: Primary care physicians in rural settings face innumerable difficulties in accessing the required CI due to non-existence of libraries and poor information infrastructure. CONCLUSION: Despite no difference in information needs, rural PCPs have significantly less access to CI resources. The study suggests ways to address the inequality in provision of CI resources.
BACKGROUND: Primary care physicians (PCPs) need a wide range of clinical information (CI) resources to manage their patients. Continued access to these resources in their practice settings provides self-reliance and a better approach towards clinical decision making. OBJECTIVE: To compare the PCPs CI needs and access to CI in rural versus non-rural practice setting. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Government health centres of the District of Multan, Pakistan. PCPs were classified into rural and non-rural according to their practice setting using the State Office of Rural Health definition. Rural means 'more than 10 miles from a population centre of 30 000 or more'. RESULTS: The CI needs of rural and non-rural PCPs were the same, but rural PCPs had significantly less access to nearly all CI resources when compared to non-rural PCPs. Age was a major determining factor of perceived information needs for continuing medical education but not for accessing CI. DISCUSSION: Primary care physicians in rural settings face innumerable difficulties in accessing the required CI due to non-existence of libraries and poor information infrastructure. CONCLUSION: Despite no difference in information needs, rural PCPs have significantly less access to CI resources. The study suggests ways to address the inequality in provision of CI resources.
Keywords:
Asia, South; Information and communication technologies (ICT); access to information; doctors; information need; information services; primary health care; surveys
Authors: Pallavi Ranade-Kharkar; Charlene Weir; Chuck Norlin; Sarah A Collins; Lou Ann Scarton; Gina B Baker; Damian Borbolla; Vanina Taliercio; Guilherme Del Fiol Journal: J Am Med Inform Assoc Date: 2017-09-01 Impact factor: 4.497