scholarly journals University Professional and Managerial Staff: Information Needs and Seeking

1997 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 561-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janie L. Hassard Wilkins ◽  
Gloria J. Leckie
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Report Writing ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Library Use ◽  
Managerial Staff

This study examines the work-related information needed and sought by professional and managerial staff of a large university. Through personal contacts, the Internet, and departmental sources, professional staff are able to readily satisfy many of their daily and short-term work-related information needs with minimal use of the library. However, because their jobs are multifaceted and complex, these staff members frequently are engaged in longer-term activities (such as project development, report writing) requiring more intensive library use, which often is perceived to be frustrating and time-consuming. The implications of these findings for academic libraries are discussed.

scholarly journals Information Needs, Search Behaviours, and Use of Elementary School Teachers on the Internet

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiung-Wen Chien ◽  
Shan-Ju L. Chang
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
The Internet ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Internet Information ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
Use Of Internet

This paper discusses Internet-related information behaviours of elementary school teachers in Taiwan, investigating their information needs, seeking behaviors, and use within an educational context. This study places an emphasis on investigating both work and non-work related use of Internet information by elementary school teachers. Research participants responded to a questionnaire on their internet search behaviours. In-depth interviews of 30 respondents were then performed. Results show that the boundary between work and non-work related use of the Internet is blurring. Participating elementary school teachers in Taiwan use the Internet for many tasks, and there are several technical and personal barriers to overcome before the technology can be fully utilized in the daily activities of educators.

scholarly journals What Filipinos, the world’s number one Internet users, want to know about cancer: A Google search analysis from 2015 to 2019.

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (suppl) ◽  
pp. 23-23
Author(s):  
Lance Isidore Garcenila Catedral ◽  
Louis Mervyn Banua Leones ◽  
Carlo Miguel Berba
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cancer Symptoms ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Cancer Breast ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Internet Users

23 Background: Filipinos were the world’s heaviest Internet users in 2018. It has been shown that they use the Internet to actively search for health-related information, but it has not yet been determined what kinds of information are sought. There is a gap in our present understanding of the information needs of the Filipino population in relation to cancer. The study assessed the cancer-related information needs of Filipinos using Internet search data from March 2015 to May 2019. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study was done using Google AdWords Keyword Planner to identify search terms related to cancer from Internet users from the Philippines from June 2015 to May 2019. The identified search terms were assessed descriptively using Microsoft Excel version 16.26. The search terms were qualitatively categorized and described. Results: A total of 806 cancer-related search terms were identified, with 13,632,890 Google web searches, during the period under review. The top ten search terms with the highest monthly search volume in the Philippines (n=4,741,600, 34.78%) were “cancer,” “breast cancer,” “cervical cancer,” “prostate cancer,” “colon cancer,” “breast cancer symptoms,” “lung cancer,” “lung cancer symptoms,” “colon cancer symptoms,” and “lungs.” In this time period, Filipinos sought information on cancer-related signs and symptoms (n=3,307,640, 24.26%) and cancer treatment (n=604,070, 4.43%). Filipinos also searched for alternative, herbal, and natural cancer treatments, but the search volume accounted for a low percentage of the total searches (n=8,710, 0.06%). Searches for the search term, “cancer,” were highest on January to February, a trend observed from January 2016 to 2019. Conclusions: Our study provides insight into the cancer-related information needs of the Filipino population. This information may inform the development of targeted, cost-effective awareness campaigns through the Internet, which may be more effective if launched at the beginning of each year.

Internet Motives Questionnaire

2007 ◽  
pp. 371-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sargent
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Leisure Services ◽  
The Way

In the past decade, the growth of the Internet has been undeniable, affecting the way people communicate, interact, and gather information. According to a Nielsen survey conducted in 2002, more than 400 million people use the Internet demonstrating the swiftness with which this network of computers has changed the way we live and will continue to live. Communication researchers have recognized the importance of studying the Internet as a communication medium (Newhagen & Rafaeli, 1996), but the study of motivations and behaviors associated with Internet use has been limited. Much of the recent research looking at the motivations associated with Internet use has focused on the relationship between personality types and Internet use and usage. Researchers, for example, have found that those who are more satisfied with their outward, social life preferred to use the Internet for more instrumental purposes (i.e., information seeking) whereas those less satisfied with life, especially those who felt less valued in face-to-face interactions, used the Internet as a substitute for social interactions and to pass time (Papacharissi & Rubin, 2000). Similar interactions were found when externally oriented people (who believe their environment controls them, feel powerless) used the Internet for inclusion more than internally oriented people (Flaherty, Pearce, & Rubin, 1998). Several studies have demonstrated negative correlations between a leisure services factor (instant messaging and games) and neuroticism (Swickert, Hittner, Harris, & Herring, 2002) and neuroticism and “gathering product and brand information” and “learning, reference, and education” (Tuten & Bosnjak, 2001). Hamburger and Ben-Artzi’s (2000) study found that those scoring high on extraversion tended to prefer leisure services (sex websites, random surfing) and that those scoring high on neuroticism had a negative association with information services (work-related information, studies-related information.

scholarly journals Identifying Complementary and Alternative Medicine Usage Information from Internet Resources

2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (04) ◽  
pp. 322-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivekanand Sharma ◽  
John Holmes ◽  
Indra Sarkar
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Research Issues ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

SummaryObjectives: Identify and highlight research issues and methods used in studying Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) information needs, access, and exchange over the Internet.Methods: A literature search was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines from PubMed to identify articles that have studied Internet use in the CAM context. Additional searches were conducted at Nature.com and Google Scholar.Results: The Internet provides a major medium for attaining CAM information and can also serve as an avenue for conducting CAM related surveys. Based on the literature analyzed in this review, there seems to be significant interest in developing methodologies for identifying CAM treatments, including the analysis of search query data and social media platform discussions. Several studies have also underscored the challenges in developing approaches for identifying the reliability of CAM-related information on the Internet, which may not be supported with reliable sources. The overall findings of this review suggest that there are opportunities for developing approaches for making available accurate information and developing ways to restrict the spread and sale of potentially harmful CAM products and information.Conclusions: Advances in Internet research are yet to be used in context of understanding CAM prevalence and perspectives. Such approaches may provide valuable insights into the current trends and needs in context of CAM use and spread.

scholarly journals Shared Decision-Making and Information Needs among People with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 423-435
Author(s):  
Vanesa Ramos-García ◽  
Amado Rivero-Santana ◽  
Andrea Duarte-Díaz ◽  
Lilisbeth Perestelo-Pérez ◽  
Wenceslao Peñate-Castro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Shared Decision Making ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Related Information

Shared decision making (SDM) aims to involve patients in the decisions about their care, considering their preferences, values and concerns about the different treatment options. However, research shows that people with mental health problems have considerable unmet information needs about their condition. This community-based cross-sectional study explores the SDM process and information needs among people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), as an initial step in the design and development of a Patient Decision Aid for this population. Seventy participants completed an online survey with the Control Preference Scale, and questions about the perceived difficulty of past treatment decisions and the use of the Internet for searching for GAD-related information. Most participants preferred an active (42.9%) or collaborative role (41.4%) in the SDM process, and 53% did not perceive their preferred role. Information provided by healthcare professionals was considered insufficient by 28% of the sample, and over 30% reported using the Internet to look for GAD-related information at least once a week or more. The most relevant GAD-related information needs were general information (71.4%), information on self-help groups (65.7%), recommendations on how to face this disorder (61.4%) and information on treatment options (50%). Exploratory analyses showed that patients who perceived an active participation were more likely to search for information frequently (p = 0.038), and those who felt more involved than desired tended to search for more themes (p = 0.049). In summary, the study showed that a considerable percentage of GAD patients have unmet needs related to decision-making participation and information.

The use of the internet for medical information and a needs assessment for a web based educational resource: A survey of Canadian medical oncology trainees and training program directors

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. 17022-17022
Author(s):  
L. Horn ◽  
S. Berry ◽  
J. Chung ◽  
S. Vijayaratnam ◽  
S. Verma
Keyword(s):  
Medical Information ◽  
Medical Oncology ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
Independent Learning ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Use Of The Internet

17022 Background: Medical Oncology trainees develop their skills and knowledge through formal educational sessions, independent learning and clinical rotations. The internet serves as a source of up to date information and a potential educatinal resource. Despite the existence of many websites with oncology related information, there has not been a comprehensive assessment of how medical oncology trainees and program directors use the internet to meet educational objectivs. Method: In the first phase of developing a new educational website (OncologyEducation.com), we surveyed medical oncology trainees and program directors from training programs across Canada to assess how they accessed the internet to determine the elements they considered essential for a trainee-oriented site. Results: 12 out of 13 Canadian medical oncology training programs participated in our survey. A total of 12 program directors and 23 trainees responsed to our survey for a 74.5% response rate. 71.4% of respondents spend up to 10 hours per week on the internet for work related reasons. Pubmed and UptoDate were the most frequently visited sites. Respondents reported using the internet for email (97.1%), answering clinical questions (88.6%), accessing practice guidelines (80%), and literature updates (71.4%). Respondents expressed a need for an educational website stressing the following content: (1) Key updates by disease sites (2) Access to pivotal journal articles (3) Access to upcoming conferences/information (4) Links to other medical sites/medical oncology sites (5) Fellowship Opportunities. Conclusion: The internet is an important resource for supplementing the training of medical oncology trainees. The development of an educational website based on the needs assessed in this survey is warranted. Upon development of the website it will be evaluated for effectiveness and impact on oncology training and clinical practice. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

scholarly journals The extent to which cancer patients trust in cancer-related online information: a systematic review

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Lange ◽  
Mona Leandra Peikert ◽  
Christiane Bleich ◽  
Holger Schulz
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Cancer Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Related Information

Background The use of the internet to satisfy information needs is widespread among cancer patients. Patients’ decisions regarding whether to act upon the information they find strongly depend on the trustworthiness of the information and the medium. Patients who are younger, more highly educated and female are more likely to trust online information. The objectives of this systematic review were to examine the extent to which cancer patients trust in cancer-related online information, internet websites as a source of cancer-related information or the internet as a medium of cancer information. Methods A systematic review was conducted using five databases (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42017070190). Studies of any kind were included if they measured cancer patients’ trust in online health information. Study quality was assessed using the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) item bank. A narrative synthesis was undertaken to examine the included studies. Results Of the 7,314 citations obtained by the search, seven cross-sectional studies were included in the synthesis. A total of 1,054 patients reported having some or a great deal of trust in online cancer information; 154 patients reported moderately trusting such information; and 833 patients reported having no or little trust in online cancer information, internet websites as a source of cancer-related information or the internet as a medium of cancer-related information. Two of the seven studies reported between group comparisons for the above-stated patient characteristics. The methodological quality of the included studies was diverse. Conclusion The results of the included studies indicates that approximately half of cancer patients appear to trust cancer-specific online information, internet websites as a source of cancer-related information or the internet as an information medium. However, the small number of included studies, high heterogeneity of participants, methods and outcomes calls for further systematic research. It is important to understand that cancer patients do and will increasingly use trusted cancer information websites to search for information concerning their disease. Therefore, physicians and other health care providers should provide more support and advice to these patients.

A survey of Canadian medical oncologists on internet use for medical information and a needs assessment for an oncology education website

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. 17072-17072
Author(s):  
S. Verma ◽  
L. Horn ◽  
J. Chung ◽  
S. Vijayaratnam ◽  
S. Berry
Keyword(s):  
Internet Use ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Oncology Education ◽  
Local Institution ◽  
Medical Oncologists ◽  
Clinical Questions

17072 Background: The internet offers an innovative resource for medical oncologists to share and discuss important medical information and advances. Despite the existence of many websites with oncology related information, there has not been a comprehensive assessment of how Canadian medical oncologists use the internet to access this information. Purpose: In the first phase of developing a new educational website (OncologyEducation.com), we surveyed Canadian medical oncologists to determine how they used the internet to access information and to assess their needs for a web based educational resource. Method: A structured survey was developed and assessed for face and content validity by medical oncologists from our local institution. The survey had several domains including: comfort level with computers, description of internet use for work, and key features they would want in an educational website. The survey was sent to all medical oncologists in Canada via regular mail and e-mail. Results: 58 % (144/247) of medical oncologists responded to our survey. The number of years in practice varied from <5 yrs (31%) to 5–10 yrs (30%), and 11–20 years (15%) with 85% having an academic appointment. 90% of respondents were comfortable with using a computer. The most common reasons for internet use were email (91%), literature updates (78%), and answering clinical questions (72%). 27% of respondents used the internet for clinical questions daily, and 29% on a weekly basis. 49% accessed the internet for work-related information for 1–5 hours weekly, 26% for 6–10 hours weekly, and 20% for more than 11hrs weekly. Respondents expressed a need for an educational website stressing the following content: (1) Canadian Oncologists Database to improve opportunities for collaboration (2) Key updates by disease sites (3) Access to information about upcoming conferences. Conclusion: The internet plays a major role in the daily clinical activities of Canadian medical oncologists. The development of an education website based on the needs assessed in this survey is warranted. We are currently developing this site (OncologyEducation.com) and plan to evaluate on an ongoing basis. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

The Impact of a Highly Publicized Celebrity Suicide on Suicide-Related Online Information Seeking

Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Arendt ◽  
Sebastian Scherr
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Search Queries ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Celebrity Suicide ◽  
Online Information Seeking ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Background: Research has already acknowledged the importance of the Internet in suicide prevention as search engines such as Google are increasingly used in seeking both helpful and harmful suicide-related information. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of a highly publicized suicide by a Hollywood actor on suicide-related online information seeking. Method: We tested the impact of the highly publicized suicide of Robin Williams on volumes of suicide-related search queries. Results: Both harmful and helpful search terms increased immediately after the actor's suicide, with a substantial jump of harmful queries. Limitations: The study has limitations (e.g., possible validity threats of the query share measure, use of ambiguous search terms). Conclusion: Online suicide prevention efforts should try to increase online users' awareness of and motivation to seek help, for which Google's own helpline box could play an even more crucial role in the future.

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