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Locating Medical Information during an Infodemic: Information Seeking Behavior and Strategies of Health-Care Workers in Germany.
- Source :
- Healthcare (2227-9032); Jun2023, Vol. 11 Issue 11, p1602, 24p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a flood of—often contradictory—evidence. HCWs had to develop strategies to locate information that supported their work. We investigated the information-seeking of different HCW groups in Germany. Methods: In December 2020, we conducted online surveys on COVID-19 information sources, strategies, assigned trustworthiness, and barriers—and in February 2021, on COVID-19 vaccination information sources. Results were analyzed descriptively; group comparisons were performed using χ <superscript>2</superscript>-tests. Results: For general COVID-19-related medical information (413 participants), non-physicians most often selected official websites (57%), TV (57%), and e-mail/newsletters (46%) as preferred information sources—physicians chose official websites (63%), e-mail/newsletters (56%), and professional journals (55%). Non-physician HCWs used Facebook/YouTube more frequently. The main barriers were insufficient time and access issues. Non-physicians chose abstracts (66%), videos (45%), and webinars (40%) as preferred information strategy; physicians: overviews with algorithms (66%), abstracts (62%), webinars (48%). Information seeking on COVID-19 vaccination (2700 participants) was quite similar, however, with newspapers being more often used by non-physicians (63%) vs. physician HCWs (70%). Conclusion: Non-physician HCWs more often consulted public information sources. Employers/institutions should ensure the supply of professional, targeted COVID-19 information for different HCW groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- STRATEGIC planning
CONFIDENCE intervals
CROSS-sectional method
COVID-19 vaccines
SURVEYS
HEALTH
INFORMATION resources
ACCESS to information
QUESTIONNAIRES
VACCINE hesitancy
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
RESEARCH funding
INFORMATION-seeking behavior
INFORMATION needs
DATA analysis software
COVID-19 pandemic
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 22279032
- Volume :
- 11
- Issue :
- 11
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Healthcare (2227-9032)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 164214782
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11111602