Factors Affecting Information Seeking Behaviors in Students of Abadan University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Aim: Today, people are often faced with a huge amount of information in search of information and access to it, which, given the nature of various sciences, one must be able to find the best results using appropriate information skills and behavior. Therefore, considering the importance of the subject of this study, it examines the information needs and information behavior of Abadan University of Medical Sciences students. Methods: This is a descriptive study conducted on students of Abadan University of Medical Sciences with a sample size of 300 individuals. The data collection tool of the researcher-made questionnaire has been confirmed by formal validity and the chrombach alpha coefficient is 80%, which has 2 sections with a total of 34 questions. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. Results: The findings of this study indicate that 64.3% of the research population were girls and 35.7% boys. In terms of age, more than half of the students in the age group were 21-23 years old. The findings suggest that most of the resources used to meet the Internet's information needs are the most important criteria for selecting a resource, including comprehensibility and credibility. The most common barriers to accessing information include low Internet speeds and lack of knowledge of the source. The resources used for free study are the Internet and books, respectively. Conclusion: Considering the resources used and access barriers and infrastructure, it seems that informing about the existence of resources and their use, as well as strengthening the network infrastructure, the Internet, etc. will help to remove existing barriers and facilitate and accelerate access to information resources.