Knowledge and Utilization of Information Technology Among Health Care Professionals and Students in Ile-Ife, Nigeria: A Case Study of a University Teaching Hospital

Abstract

BackgroundThe computer revolution and Information Technology (IT) have transformed modern health care systems in the areas of communication, teaching, storage and retrieval of medical information. These developments have positively impacted patient management and the training and retraining of healthcare providers. Little information is available on the level of training and utilization of IT among health care professionals in developing countries.Objectives To assess the knowledge and utilization pattern of information technology among health care professionals and medical students in a university teaching hospital in Nigeria.Methods Self-structured pretested questionnaires that probe into the knowledge, attitudes and utilization of computers and IT were administered to a randomly selected group of 180 health care professionals and medical students. Descriptive statistics on their knowledge, attitude and utilization patterns were calculated.Results A total of 148 participants (82%) responded, which included 60 medical students, 41 medical doctors and 47 health records staff. Their ages ranged between 22 and 54 years. Eighty respondents (54%) reportedly had received some form of computer training while the remaining 68 (46%) had no training. Only 39 respondents (26%) owned a computer while the remaining 109 (74%) had no computer. In spite of this a total of 28 respondents (18.9%) demonstrated a good knowledge of computers while 87 (58.8%) had average knowledge. Only 33 (22.3%) showed poor knowledge. Fifty-nine respondents (39.9%) demonstrated a good attitude and good utilization habits, while in 50 respondents (33.8%) attitude and utilization habits were average and in 39 (26.4%) they were poor. While 25% of students and 27% of doctors had good computer knowledge (P=.006), only 4.3% of the records officers demonstrated a good knowledge. Forty percent of the medical students, 54% of the doctors and 27.7% of the health records officers showed good utilization habits and attitudes (P=.01)Conclusion Only 26% of the respondents possess a computer, and only a small percentage of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge of computers and IT, hence the suboptimal utilization pattern. The fact that the health records officers by virtue of their profession had better training opportunities did not translate into better knowledge and utilization habits, hence the need for a more structured training, one which would form part of the curriculum. This would likely have more impact on the target population than ad hoc arrangements.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Laboratory Staff on Computer: Role in Scaling up Xpert MTB/RIF in Nigeria

“…This had a proportionate effect on their various abilities to effectively carry out Xpert operations (Tables 2 and 3) especially those involving software such as importing of assay definition file; plunger maintenance; generating system and error log reports and archiving/retrieving of tests. This is in agreement with postulations of Bello et al [3] that improved computer knowledge would improve health care delivery. They opined that an information-proficient workforce that is computer literate and motivated to use the well-designed clinical systems would be necessary in a developing country such as Nigeria.…”

“…The Health care sector is not left out [1,2]. Computer based diagnosis is the hope of fast and accurate diagnostic process [3,4]. Xpert MTB/RIF is a novel rapid tuberculosis (TB) molecular diagnostic tool [5,6] which makes use of GeneXpert machine installed with computer programs and software [7].…”

Computer and Internet Use among Tertiary Healthcare Providers and Trainees in a Nigerian Public Hospital

“…Hypothetically, doctors' high rate of health information use, their high income and their leadership roles in the healthcare system could possibly be having an influence on the way they use computer and the Internet relative to other healthcare providers, including HIM professionals charged with the management of healthcare information systems. For instance, Bello et al [25] reported that doctors had higher possession of computer possibly due to their perceived need and relative ease of affordability. Conversely, Bello et al [25] established that training opportunities available to HIM professionals due to their obligations to manage health information systems might not translate into better knowledge and good utilization habits in computer and the Internet.…”

“…Others include; too much information on the Internet, lack of specificity, searching difficulties, inadequate ICT infrastructure, needs to acquire ICT and information seeking skills, lack of structure training, limited or hindered Internet access, relatively expensive nature of the Internet café and lack of current information materials on the Internet [33][34]25 and 35].…”

Information Literacy and Use of Information Technology by Students in Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences

“…The evidence-based medicine has recently been addressed as an approach to healthcare based on the latest findings. The access to latest findings about diagnosis and treatment of diseases requires the information literacy skills (14,15). According to the studies, most computer users, particularly healthcare professionals in developing countries, have little knowledge about the use of IT (16).…”