The information requirements and information-seeking behaviours of health and social care professionals providing care to children with health care needs: a pilot study

© 2007 The authorsJournal compilation © 2007 Health Libraries Group.

Health Information and Libraries Journal

,

24

, pp.95–102

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Blackwell Publishing Ltd

The information requirements and information-seeking behaviours of health and social care professionals providing care to children with health care needs: a pilot study

Rachel Jackson*, Wendy Baird*, Loretta Davis-Reynolds†, Christine Smith†, Stephen Blackburn†

1

& Janet Allsebrook†, *Section of Public Health, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield and †Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Barnsley, UK

Abstract

Objectives

: The objectives of this work were to identify the sources of informationcurrently received, information-seeking behaviours, information requirementsand preferences for future information provision amongst health and social careprofessionals providing care to children with health care needs.

Methods

: Data were collected using a cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey.

Results

: A wide range of information resources was reported as being availableto professionals. However, a large proportion of respondents found it necessaryto perform additional searches for information, suggesting that currentresources were not satisfying their needs. The majority of professionals reporteda preference for electronic formats, whilst a smaller proportion preferred hardcopy materials. Participants promoted the use of informal networks as a meansof support and exchange of information.

Conclusion

: Supplementing the information that is provided in electronic andhard copy formats, by enhancing informal networks, may be the most effectiveway of meeting the information needs of this group of professionals.

Background

Health professionals recognize the need to maintainup-to-date knowledge of their field in order toprovide evidence-based care.

1

The provision ofappropriate information has an important role inthe delivery of care to patients. Professionals needto be able to access information in response toinformation needs as they arise,

2

with searchesoften being undertaken in the presence of thepatient.

3

However, a number of barriers to searchingexist, including shortage of time, inaccessibility of

services and lack of information technology skillsor facilities.

1,4,5

Effective delivery of informationto professionals is therefore important. An extensiverange of information resources is currently availableto professionals, including electronic and hard-copy formats. The increased use of electronichealth information systems in medicine is expectedto support the provision of child health care byprofessionals.

6

A number of paediatric digitallibraries have been developed for use by healthcare providers as well as by families. Theselibraries provide an organized digital interfaceallowing access to a large number of authoritativewebsites relating to common conditions encounteredin paediatric medicine.

7

The Intranet, a ‘local orrestricted computer network’,

8

can be used withinan organization for the accessing of information;

Correspondence: Rachel Jackson, Section of Public Health, Schoolof Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S14BA, UK. E-mail: [email protected]

1

The present address for Stephen Blackburn is Walderslade Surgery,Hoyland, Barnsley, UK.

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for example, information to support job roles,training resources, contact details and search-engine facilities. The use of other electronicformats, such as e-mail alerts, along with the largeamounts of hard copy information available, canresult in information overload, potentially reducingthe working effectiveness of professionals.

9

Healthprofessionals have reported using a combinationof hard copy and electronic formats

10

andinformal queries to colleagues to address theirinformation needs.

3,11

The health informationspecialist has an important role in helpingprofessionals to navigate the range of informationavailable and in facilitating the delivery ofevidence-based practice.

12

The Totally Improving the Children’s Healthcare(TITCH) team was established in the interests ofclinical governance, with the goal of optimizingthe delivery of services for children with health-care needs in Barnsley. The drivers behind thisinvestigation were a need to review the currentdelivery of information to parents of childrenwith health care needs and the health and socialservices professionals involved in their care.

Objectives

The objectives of this work were to identify (i)the sources of information currently received,(ii) information-seeking behaviours, (iii) informationrequirements and (iv) preferences for futureprovision amongst health and social careprofessionals involved in providing care tochildren with health-care needs in Barnsley.

Methods

A cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey(copies available on request) was successfullypiloted amongst 13 professionals and, after ethicscommittee approval, was then sent to a representativegroup of 100 health and social care professionalsinvolved in the care of children with health careneeds in Barnsley in July 2005. Professionals weresampled from records held by the Department ofPaediatrics at Barnsley Hospital NHS FoundationTrust. The sample was selected to ensure coverageof all local key stakeholders from both health andsocial care settings who are directly involved in the

management and delivery of care to children withhealth care needs and was viewed as representativeof the workforce. A letter and information sheetwere sent with the questionnaire, informing theprofessional of the study and inviting them tocomplete the questionnaire and return in a freepostenvelope. After 3 weeks, a follow-up letter accom-panied by additional copies of the information sheetand questionnaire were sent to non-responders.One professional was excluded from the survey asit was indicated that they had retired.

A series of open and closed questions wereincluded to generate data relating to professionals’information needs connected to the care theyprovide to children and young people in Barnsley.Participants were able to make multiple responsesto questions. Topics of query included informationresources currently received, information-seekingbehaviours, requirements and preferences forinformation provision amongst professionals.Areas of inquiry included gender and job categoryof respondents, existence of any specialistinterests, age groups of children covered, types ofinformation resources currently received, whetherthey performed additional searches for informationand other information-seeking behaviours, infor-mation requirements and preferred formats offuture information presentation. Responses toopen questions relating to job category, specialistinterests, information-seeking behaviours andtypes of information required were grouped by theauthors into categories of related items. Quantitativedata were analysed using SPSS (version 12.0)software (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Thestatistical significances of differences betweengroups were tested using the

χ

2

-test. Differencesbetween groups were judged to be statistically sig-nificant at

P

= 0.05.

Results

Seventy-one eligible professionals responded tothe survey, resulting in a response rate of 72%.

Data were collected from 26 general medicalpractitioners, 17 hospital-based clinicians, ninesocial services professionals, seven health servicesmanagement professionals, six nurses, fivecommunity-based clinicians, and one other category.Responding professionals were 62% male.


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Respondents reported a number of specialistinterests, including clinical special interests (61%),social services (27%), medical education (9%),general education (3%), management (9%) andresearch (1%).

Professionals provided care to children over arange of ages including < 1 year (89%), 1–4 years(89%), 5–11 years (92%), 12–16 years (94%),17+ years (87%) and some to children in all statedage groups (76%).

Information resources received by professionals

A range of information resources was reported asbeing received at the time of survey (Table 1). Themost widely received type of resource, amongstall professional groups, was reported, as beingscientific and professional journals, followed bynewsletters, e-mail alerts and discussion lists.Eighteen per cent of respondents reportedreceiving information through additional routes,including books, magazines and attendance atcourses and other meetings.

Information-seeking behaviours

Seventy-nine per cent of professionals reportedthat they performed additional searches forinformation. Information-seeking behavioursamongst each job category are displayed inTable 2. Professionals reported having used theInternet, informal networks, such as verbalqueries to colleagues, library or written resourcesand a small minority had used an Intranetresource to perform searches. Female professionalswere more likely than males (85 versus 75%,

P

= 0.31) to perform searches. Hospital-basedclinicians were the group most likely to performtheir own searches for information (94%), whilstonly 67% of social services professionals reportedundertaking searches. Professionals were mostlikely to search for treatment guidelines andevidence-based practice or published research.Most professionals reported carrying out searchesat their place of work or at home. Smaller numbersof respondents used a library, bookshops or ahand-held personal computer.

Information preferences and requirements

Preferred formats for the presentation ofinformation as stated by professionals are shownin Table 3. Professionals could mark multipleselections. The most popular request overallamongst respondents was for the provision offuture information via the Intranet. This format ofinformation delivery was favoured by both malesand females (58 and 72%, respectively,

P

= 0.25).Women were more in favour of an Internet sitethan men (64 versus 30%,

P

= 0.007) and CD/DVD/Video formats (36% versus 16%,

P

= 0.065),but less likely to prefer leaflets (28% versus47%,

P

= 0.13). In response to open questions,participants made suggestions for additional hardcopy formats such as books, magazines andbriefings. It was suggested that would be useful tolimit the routes of current information deliveryand to attempt to consolidate information into aspecialist electronic portal or regularly updatedmaterial in hard copy format. A small number(

n

= 3) stated that they were satisfied by currentinformation provision.

Table 1 Information resources received by professionals

General practitioner(n = 26)

Community- basedclinician(n = 5)

Hospital- basedclinician(n = 17)

Nurse (n = 6)

Social servicesprofessional (n = 9)

Healthservicesmanagement(n = 7)

Other(n = 1)

Total(n = 71)

Scientific and professional journals

25 (96%) 5 (100%) 17 (100%) 6 (100%) 9 (100%) 5 (71%) 1 (100%) 68 (96%)

Discussion lists 7 (27%) 4 (80%) 7 (41%) 5 (83%) 4 (44%) 2 (29%) 0 (0%) 29 (41%)Newsletters 22 (85%) 4 (80%) 15 (88%) 6 (100%) 8 (89%) 6 (86%) 1 (100%) 62 (87%)e-mail alerts 17 (65%) 4 (80%) 14 (82%) 4 (67%) 8 (89%) 6 (86%) 1 (100%) 54 (76%)Other 5 (19%) 2 (40%) 3 (18%) 0 (0%) 1 (11%) 2 (29%) 0 (0%) 13 (18%)

Information requirem

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Table 2

Information-seeking behaviours of respondents performing searches for information

Generalpractitioner (

n

= 19, 73%)

Community-basedclinician(

n

= 4, 80%)

Hospital-basedclinician(

n

= 16, 94%)Nurse(

n

= 5, 83%)

Social services professional(

n

= 6, 67%)

Health services management(

n

= 5, 71%)Other(

n

= 1, 100%)Total(

n

= 56, 79%)

Source of searchInternet 15 (79%) 4 (100%) 16 (100%) 4 (80%) 6 (100%) 5 (100%) 1 (100%) 51 (91%)Intranet 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (20%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (100%) 2 (4%)Library or written resources 4 (21%) 4 (100%) 9 (56%) 4 (80%) 3 (50%) 1 (20%) 0 (0%) 25 (45%)Informal networks 13 (68%) 3 (75%) 13 (81%) 5 (100%) 6 (100%) 1 (20%) 0 (0%) 41 (70%)

Types of informationPublished research 5 (26%) 4 (100%) 14 (88%) 4 (80%) 4 (80%) 4 (80%) 0 (0%) 35 (63%)Treatment guidelines and 17 (90%) 4 (100%) 12 (75%) 3 (60%) 0 (0%) 3 (60%) 0 (0%) 39 (70%)evidence-based practicePatient information 10 (53%) 2 (50%) 6 (38%) 2 (40%) 0 (0%) 2 (40%) 0 (0%) 22 (39%)Government documents 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 2 (40%) 4 (67%) 1 (20%) 0 (0%) 7 (13%)Service delivery information 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 2 (33%) 1 (20%) 1 (100%) 4 (7%)and guidelinesLegal documents 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (17%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (2%)Service management 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 2 (40%) 0 (0%) 2 (4%)guidelines

Location of searchPlace of work 16 (84%) 4 (100%) 14 (88%) 5 (100%) 6 (100%) 4 (80%) 1 (100%) 50 (89%)Home 10 (53%) 3 (75%) 12 (75%) 4 (80%) 4 (67%) 4 (80%) 0 (0%) 37 (66%)Library 1 (5%) 2 (50%) 2 (13%) 1 (20%) 1 (17%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 7 (13%)Bookshops 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (17%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (2%)Hand-held personal computer 1 (5%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (2%)


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Recommendations made in response to openquestions as to the content of future informationprovision covered needs relating to research,evidence-based practice, referral pathways, andinformation on local services.

Professionals also requested that further infor-mation be made more widely available to assisttheir support of children and their parents andcarers, such as signposting to support group con-tacts and identification of parent and child-friendly websites.

Additional proposals for meeting the informa-tion needs of professionals included improvedavailability of electronic journals, maintenance ofup-to-date written and digital resources in librar-ies, and provision of librarian support for per-forming searches.

Professionals also widely promoted the use ofinformal, personal networks in response to openquestions, suggesting that study days, shortcourses, regular presentations, interactive groupsand closer communication, both between profes-sional groups and between professionals andfamilies, would assist in meeting their informationneeds and facilitate the provision of care.

Discussion

The postal questionnaire used in this study metwith a relatively high response rate. Data werecollected from a broad range of professionals.Whilst the sample size used in this pilot study wasrelatively small, and the possibility of responsebias within the sample exists, interesting findingswere made, with implications for the future

provision of information resources to professionalsinvolved in providing care to children with health-care needs.

Despite the extensive range of resources available,a large proportion of respondents still consideredit necessary to perform independent searchesfor further information to support their job role,indicating that their information needs were notbeing met. This is perhaps not surprising, as theprovision of large amounts of unorganized infor-mation makes the ‘sifting’ of material by recipientsnecessary. To support decision making, appropriateinformation should be available for access asrequired, in a suitable format and in the correctamount.

13

Approximately two-thirds of respond-ents undertook searches for additional informa-tion at home, suggesting that professionals couldnot carry out all of their necessary searches forinformation during working hours, and highlight-ing the importance of resources being rapidly andeasily accessible to professionals as needed. Theproportion of respondents who performed theirsearches in the library was relatively low. In thefuture, the development of ‘virtual libraries’ mayprove effective in providing services to professionals,especially when considered alongside the enthusi-asm for electronic information resources asreported here. The provision of information viahand-held computers has potential for the deliveryof information to professionals at the point ofneed.

14,15

However, only a small minority of oursample currently used a portable computer and,for this medium to be effective, barriers, such ascost and a lack of UK-specific software, wouldneed to be addressed.

15

Table 3 Preferred formats of future information delivery

Generalpractitioner(n = 24)

Community-based clinician(n = 5)

Hospital-basedclinician(n = 16)

Nurse(n = 6)

Socialservicesprofessional(n = 9)

Healthservicesmanagement(n = 7)

Other(n = 1)

Totalresponses(n = 68)

Internet 3 (13%) 4 (80%) 7 (44%) 5 (83%) 9 (100%) 1 (14%) 0 (0%) 29 (43%)Intranet 8 (33%) 4 (80%) 14 (88%) 5 (83%) 6 (67%) 5 (71%) 1 (100%) 43 (63%)Leaflets 15 (63%) 2 (40%) 5 (31%) 3 (50%) 2 (22%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 27 (40%)Hard copy directory 4 (17%) 1 (20%) 5 (32%) 4 (67%) 2 (22%) 0 (0%) 1 (100%) 17 (25%)E-mail 8 (33%) 4 (80%) 8 (50%) 2 (33%) 7 (78%) 5 (71%) 0 (0%) 34 (50%)CD/DVD/video 3 (13%) 2 (40%) 4 (25%) 4 (67%) 2 (22%) 1 (14%) 0 (0%) 16 (24%)Audio 2 (8%) 1 (20%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 3 (4%)


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The medium most frequently used to undertakesearches was the Internet, followed by the use ofinformal networks, library or written resourcesand, lastly, Intranet resources. Searches weremost commonly made for treatment guidelinesand evidence-based practice and published research,corroborated by a related study.

2

A sizeableproportion of professionals performed searchesfor patient information. Increased awareness amongstprofessionals of the availability of resources, suchas the range of PRODIGY

16

online patient infor-mation leaflets relating to child health, and thefurther development of and signposting to suchresources is required.

The most popular format amongst respondentsfor the future delivery of information was theIntranet. This finding is interesting, as it wouldappear to be in contrast to our observation thatonly a small number of professionals reportedusing the Intranet to perform their independentsearches at the time of survey. This suggests thatfurther development of and access to Intranetresources is required. The Intranet has been shownby previous authors to be an invaluable tool in thedelivery of information to professionals.

17

The future development of Internet resourcesfor information delivery was also popular and mayserve to consolidate information and allow pro-fessionals to navigate resources, especially for pro-fessionals who do not have access to Intranetfacilities. Searching using the Internet often incor-porates the use of search engines and the followingof hyperlinks to related resources. Providing, forexample, links to local services and to pre-existinghigh-quality, national resources, such as the NHSChild Health and Paediatrics Specialist Library,

18

and the availability of a search-engine facilitywithin a specialist electronic hub could be a usefulsystem for information delivery. The developmentof such local specialist portals has been promotedand also shown to be popular amongst otherprofessionals.

4,19

Our findings have implications for the expansionof the availability of appropriate electronicjournals. Provision of training in searching andcritical appraisal skills for professionals may assistthe accessing and interpretation of such informationand promote evidence-based practice.

20,21

Theprovision of critical appraisal training for infor-

mation specialists would help them in their role ofdisseminating knowledge to professionals.

22

Because of the small sample sizes employed in ourpilot study, the majority of reported differencesbetween subgroups did not show statistical signific-ance. However, our findings may have implicationsfor the future design of information resources andtargeting to professional subgroups. Levels of sat-isfaction with available information vary betweendifferent groups of health professionals, and there-fore different information delivery strategies may benecessary to target different groups.

23

Indeed, pre-vious work has shown that information servicesneed to be delivered with particular user groupsin mind.

24

Our findings may suggest a reducedpreference for electronic formats amongst GPs,confirming a preference amongst GPs for personalcollections of written materials.

2

A range of elec-tronic and written materials may therefore be nec-essary to meet the information needs of all thoseresponsible for providing care to children withhealth care needs, in keeping with previous work.

25

It is important to also consider the context ofsearching as, whilst professionals reported havingmultiple preferred formats, the medium mosteffective for delivery may depend upon the natureof the search being performed. Such issues wouldneed to be taken into account in the design ofservices and could be explored in further work.

Professionals, both in our study and earlierresearch, were keen for informal networks to beenhanced as a route for information exchangebetween professionals, in common with a previousstudy.

19

Our respondents promoted the organizationof educational study days, presentations anddiscussion groups for further information andsupport. Such programmes have an important rolein ensuring that the professionals’ tacit knowledgethat is utilized in decision-making is based onsound evidence.

26

The use of other informalnetworks, such as e-mail discussion networks, canalso play an important role in transferring know-ledge.

27

Professionals also supported the develop-ment of existing local pathways of communicationand interaction between professionals, patientsand carers, in order to facilitate informal queriesand sharing of information.

This pilot study has illustrated the informationneeds of a representative sample of health and


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social care professionals involved in the care ofchildren with health care needs. Further explorationof the information needs of such professionals, forinstance through the use of follow-up interviewsand focus groups to evaluate needs, would be ofvalue, as shown in previous studies.

5,19

In particular,more in-depth research to further explore the usageand future preferences for delivery of informationvia Intranet resources would clearly be of benefitto service providers. Such research is necessaryto determine the factors influencing the use ofinformation resources and the most effectivemeans of providing information.

Conclusion

Health and social care professionals providingcare to children with health care needs currentlyreceive a range of information resources. However,a large proportion of these professionals stillperform additional searches for information toassist their provision of care, demonstrating therequirement for improved information provision.The majority of respondents would prefer futureinformation to be presented in an electronicformat. However, some respondents, in particularGPs, stated preferences for hard copy formats,highlighting the fact that consideration needs tobe given as how to implement the delivery of newinformation to different professional groups.The provision of consolidated and regularlyupdated information to professionals, in bothelectronic and written formats, may be mosteffective in satisfying information requirements.The enhancement of informal networks betweenprofessionals and patients and their carers mayalso serve to meet information needs and facilitatethe provision of care to children with health careneeds.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the professionalswho participated in this study, Laura Fairlee(Paediatric Secretary, Barnsley Hospital NHSFoundation Trust), Andrew Booth (Director ofInformation Resources, ScHARR, University ofSheffield), Tracey Young (Lecturer in MedicalStatistics, Trent RDSU, ScHARR, University of

Sheffield), and the Small Projects Fund, BarnsleyHospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Key Messages

Implications for policy

• Despite the wide range of resources currentlyavailable, the majority of professionals involvedin the care of children with health care needsreported performing additional searches forinformation. This would suggest that theinformation needs of respondents were notbeing met at the time of survey.

• Service providers need to use a combinationof both electronic and hard copy formatsfor the future delivery of information toprofessionals.

Implications for practice

• Professionals need to promote local informalnetworks and communication pathways,both between professionals and with families,for information exchange and support.

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The information requirements and information-seeking behaviours of health and social care professionals providing care to children with health care needs: a pilot study