| Background and Objectives
: It has been more than a decade since
evidence-based medical practice (EBMP) became a top curriculum in
medicine. Developing countries, however, have problems practicing
EBM since it needs skills, time, and resources. Libraries and librarians
can play a vital role in providing physicians with evidence-based
information. This user study was directed at exploring physicians’
attitudes towards EBMP, their awareness and practical knowledge in
finding and evaluating evidence/information, and the implication of these
findings for health science library services.
Methodology
: A survey method was adopted to carry out the study. A
structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The target population
was comprised of physicians and specialists from government and
private hospitals in Hyderabad, India. One hundred twenty-four
responses were received. MS Excel and SPSS software were used for
statistical analyses.
Results
: The study revealed that physicians have positive attitudes
toward EBMP. They also agree that EBMP is obligatory on the part of
physicians—professionally, ethically, and legally. They indicated a high
usage rate of print and electronic sources, which suggests that health
science libraries should be equipped to support physicians in EBMP.
Conclusion:
This study concludes that efficient librarian information
support services should be provided to physicians in order to enable them
to practice evidence-based medicine. |