Perception and attitude of medical sciences students towards the use of online Internet information in Oman

Abstract

Background: The trend of seeking medical and health information through the Internet has been continuously increasing among youth population specially college students. The aim of this study was to record the perception and attitude of medical sciences students studying in Oman towards the use of medical and health information on the internet. Methods: A cross sectional study which involved medical sciences students studying in four higher education institutions. The questionnaire was composed of 23 close-ended questions grouped into demographic and students’ perception and attitudes towards medical and health information in the internet. Results: The internet was used as source for medical literature and medical information along with other activities in 71.1% of students and PubMed and Google were used as trusted search engines. The majority of students (96.9%) tend to check the accuracy and reliability of internet medical and health information through searching for particular information in two or more websites. 72.1% of the students believe that the internet offers great potential to meet academic needs and promote learning. The statistical analysis showed a significant statistical correlation (p=0.0001) in certain aspects of the perception and attitude of the participating students towards the utilization of medical and health information on the internet. Conclusion: Although majority of students were trained on utilizing medical and health information during their university education, it seems this exposure varies between the four academic majors. Educational institutions in Oman are encouraged to design their e-health literacy program based on the individual requirements of medical sciences curricula.