Publications by University of Ibadan Library Staff

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.ui.edu.ng/handle/123456789/5

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    Use of the Internet for health information by physicians for patient care in a teaching hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria
    (Biomedical Digital Libraries, 2006-12) Ajuwon, G.A.
    The Internet is the world's largest network of information, communication and services. Although the Internet is widely used in medicine and has made significant impact in research, training and patient care, few studies had explored the extent to which Nigerian physicians use Internet resources for patient care. The objective of this study was to assess physicians' use of the Internet for health information for patient care. 172 physicians at the University College hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria; completed a 31-item, anonymous, standardized questionnaire. The Epi-Info software was used for data analysis. The mean age of the respondents was 31.95 years (SD 4.94). Virtually all (98%) the respondents had used the Internet; 76% accessed it from cyber cafes. E-mail was the most commonly used Internet service (64%). Ninety percent of the respondents reported they had obtained information from the Internet for patient care; of this number, 76.2% had searched a database. The database most recently searched was MEDLINE/PubMed in 99% of cases. Only 7% of the respondents had ever searched the Cochrane Library. More than half (58.1%) perceived they had no confidence to download full-text articles from online sources such as the Health Internetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI). Multiple barriers to increased use of the Internet were identified including poor availability of broadband (fast connection speed) Internet access, lack of information searching skills, cost of access and information overload. Physicians' use of the Internet for health information for patient care was widespread but use of evidenced-based medicine resources such as Cochrane Library, Up-to-date and Clinical Evidence was minimal. Awareness and training in the use of EBM resources for patient care is needed. Introduction of EBM in the teaching curriculum will enhance the use of EBM resources by physicians for patient care.
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    FINDING, ORGANIZING AND USING HEALTH INFORMATION:
    (Network of African Medical Librarians, 2011) Ajuwon, G.A.; Anne, Abdulrahmane; Malapela, Thembani; Kanyengo, C.W.; Kamau, Nancy; Mbaga, Sara; Horta, Cristina; Chikonzo, Agnes
    This book is a product of the devotion and dedication of medical librarians in Africa for the development of a healthy society through information literacy. Information literacy has become an essential requirement in today’s world of information and technology. The web has revolutionized information retrieval and in today’s information world, the word literacy therefore goes beyond the traditional definition of knowing how to read and write. Wilson, E an American Scientist rightfully stated “we are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices widely.” This cannot be overemphasized when it comes to health as information literacy is crucial in ensuring all those involved with health including healthcare providers, medical librarians and consumers know how to find, use and manage health information. This is due to the fact that access to right and accurate information is a prerequisite to good health. Whether you are a doctor, a nurse, an allied health professional or a medical librarian, this manual provides answers to the most crucial questions that arise while searching for health information. These questions range from: What information sources are available? What tools are available for searching the web? What techniques do you apply when searching the web? What is intellectual property right? How do you manage and store information once retrieved from the web? How do you evaluate information so as to use what is accurate? How do you use information for scholarly purposes? The authors of this manual have provided answers to these key questions so as to ensure that looking for information does not become a frustrating task and that the right information is retrieved, stored and used in an ethical manner. Having worked with health information for over 15 years I have come to recognize the challenges involved in retrieving information from the World Wide Web and more so at a time where Evidence Based Information is imperative. This manual has made great strides in trying to answer various issues surrounding information retrieval and I am without doubt that many readers will gain a lot from this invaluable resource. A lot of effort has also been made to have an all inclusive and broad manual. Ultimately, this is to serve as a guide and can be customized where necessary to match individual needs.