IJCM_147A: Awareness and Practices related to the use of e-books among medical college students in Mangalore

Abstract

Background: Reading is a vital aspect of the learning process for students and should be encouraged. Any effort or innovation that improves the motivation of students to read is worth sustaining. The materials often used are textbooks and reference materials. This study aimed to assess the readership and preference for e-books and print books across contexts. In addition, this study aims to identify factors that contribute to e-book usage. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among MBBS students of KMC Mangalore. A Semi-structured questionnaire which contained demographics, knowledge, practices and awareness of the use of e-books was used for data collection. The collected data was analysed using SPSS version 25.0. Results were expressed as proportions and for comparison across groups, the Chi-square test was used. A ‘p’ value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of the total 422 participants, 53.7%(n=226) were females the main source of awareness for 243 participants (57.7%) was internet, followed by friends for 119 participants (28.2%). Overall, 44.7% (n=188) wanted e-books to be implemented in their curriculum. A higher proportion,62.6% (n=263) prefer to study from printed textbooks during the exam time. Also, the main challenges while using e-books were eye soreness/redness (60.6%) followed by difficulty reading from the device (56.6%). Conclusion: Overall, there was a high level of awareness among the study subjects about e-books. There was no significant difference across the genders for usage patterns and awareness. Mostly the use of ebooks was for textbooks and reference articles.