Use of Internet and Email by Physicians in Pakistan

Mustafa, Khawaja and Qureshi, Azra Use of Internet and Email by Physicians in Pakistan., 2005 . In Health Sciences Research Assembly - 2005, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, March 15-17, 2005. (Unpublished) [Conference poster]

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English abstract

Abstract Keywords: Information retrieval, Internet, Email, Health Information. Introduction: The World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean conducted a survey as part of its efforts to assess needs of physicians for health and biomedical information on the Internet. The survey was conducted in Pakistan by Azra Qureshi and Khawaja Mustafa, results of this survey were presented at the WHO EMRO 4th Regional Conference on Virtual Health Sciences Library at Cairo in November, 2004. The poster presents a summary of the findings of the survey. Findings: The survey was conducted in Pakistan to assess the information needs and use of Internet and email by physicians, for this purpose a survey questionnaire designed by WHO EMRO regional office was circulated in cities of Pakistan, In all 130 survey forms were distributed. 110 forms were received back and 107 forms are included in the survey. 68% of the respondents belonged to the city of Karachi; 76 male and 31 female physicians. Most of the users used the Internet and e-mail from their homes and secondly from their offices; only 23% used internet or e-mail from their clinical areas; even a lesser 19% used these services from their medical colleges. Only 2% used their libraries for internet and e-mail access. 42% physicians used internet or e-mail daily while only 1% had never used internet or email. - 9% physicians used internet or email 2 hours or less per week, and 28% used it 3 to 5 hours; 15% used it for 6 to 8 hours per week. 73% physicians agreed that there is a Hospital Information System (HIS) at their place of work and 65% physicians had access to the (HIS). 87% physicians had their personal email accounts and 12% had their personal websites. 60% physicians rarely or never used the email to send and receive messages from patients regarding medical issues. Only 27% physicians used the email to respond to a general question from a patient. 75% physicians used e-mail to send and receive messages from professional colleagues on medically related issues. 70% physicians used internet or e-mail to conduct research for information relevant to a specific patients case. 89% physicians used internet or email to search for information for CME, 2% searched information related to their special interest or specialty. 39% physicians used intranet or email to access laboratory, x-ray, CTScan, etc. results on current patients.

Item type:	Conference poster
Keywords:	Use of Internet by Physicians-Pakistan, Use of Email by Physicians in Pakistan
Subjects:	B. Information use and sociology of information > BA. Use and impact of information.
Depositing user:	Khawaja Mustafa
Date deposited:	06 Jun 2008
Last modified:	02 Oct 2014 12:11
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/10760/11705

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