Informal Sources Of Information Research Articles

Survey of Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Preferred Informational Sources among Students at a Southwestern University in the United States: A Brief Report

The purpose of this study was to investigate nutrition perspectives, basic nutrition knowledge, and preferred sources of nutrition information among students at a southwestern university in the US. An original online survey was used to evaluate common sources of nutrition information, factors viewed as comprising a healthy dietary pattern, and attitudes toward nutrition information and recommendations. A total of 316 participants completed the survey. Prioritizing fruits and vegetables was the most common response (97%) for characterizing healthy eating. When asked which factors characterize a non-healthy pattern of eating, eating sweets was the top response (83%). The most common sources of nutrition information reported were word of mouth/friends and family (56%), followed by social media (45%). The majority felt that nutrition recommendations are constantly changing (78%) and that nutrition information is confusing (55%). Our data indicate that most students rely primarily on informal sources of nutrition information. However, our preliminary data also suggest that many students have a fair understanding of basic principles of healthy eating. More research in a broader and more diverse sample is needed to validate these findings.

The Influence of Interpersonal Communication Participants on Child Nutrition Promotion in Kilifi County, Kenya

Purpose: This study analyzed the influence of Interpersonal Communication participants in the promotion of child nutrition in Kilifi County, Kenya.
 Materials and Methods: The study which was guided by the Social Penetration Theory and employed the mixed methods research design. A sample of 10 Health Professionals drawn from Public Healthcare facilities and 247 residents with children aged 5 years and below was drawn from Ganze Constituency in Kilifi County. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Data was presented in tabular form.
 Findings: The study found that multiple sources of child nutrition information existed and influenced the nutrition of a child in different degrees. Such sources included Health Professionals, Family members, Male care givers, opinion leaders and peers. Among these sources Health professionals were identified as the most preferred source of child nutrition information. Additionally, findings indicated that Interpersonal Communication participants largely contributed to the promotion of complementary feeding and an understanding of the effects of malnutrition.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: This study recommends that mechanisms should be put in place to monitor and evaluate messages emanating from informal sources of child nutrition information in order to negate any false narratives that can counter strides made in the promotion of child nutrition emanating from such sources. This study also recommends that Health Professionals should invest in developing a positive relationship with patients so as to increase the depth and breadth of child nutrition information they can provide.

Where is the panic in “panic buying”? Consumer purchases at the outset of the COVID pandemic

The declaration of the COVID pandemic in March 2020 was immediately followed by news media accounts of “panic buying.” However, this term is problematic because it implicitly assumes that people engage in indiscriminate consumer product purchases that are motivated solely by extreme fear. Contrary to the implicit assumptions of “panic buying,” this study's examination of consumer product purchases by 435 households found that respondents drew clear distinctions among four activities (observed shortages, own consumption changes, own stockpiling, and others’ stockpiling) related to six consumer product categories (fresh produce, fresh meat, nonperishable food, cleaning supplies, sanitary supplies, and nonprescription medications). The results show that own stockpiling has moderately positive correlations with own consumption changes and is as strongly related to optimism and anger as to fear. Own stockpiling also has positive correlations with perceptions of others’ stockpiling, reliance on informal information sources, and observed shortages. Unexpectedly, own stockpiling has positive correlations with positive disaster stereotypes rather than negative disaster stereotypes, and is unrelated to expected pandemic duration, authoritative information sources, demographic characteristics, and routine stockpiling. The results suggest that the term “panic buying” should be replaced by “crisis stockpiling,” which avoids unnecessary erroneous inferences about the motivation for that behavior.

Exploring the Investment Behaviour of Petty Traders in Sunyani Municipality

Purpose: The primary goals of the study are to assess the level of awareness among small merchants in Sunyani Municipality regarding investment prospects, the sources of investment information, and the impact of demographic characteristics.
 Methodology: Questionnaires were employed in gathering data for the study, which was based on the quantitative research approach. Using Slovin's sample size computation, a sample size of 396 respondents was selected for the investigation.
 Findings: The results revealed that the majority of small traders were aware of prospective investment alternatives such as real estate, government bonds, bank deposits, life insurance, mutual funds, and stocks and shares. It was discovered that the traders had access to two information sources: the formal and informal sectors. The survey discovered that friends and family serve as the key informal sources of information. Regarding the formal sector, it is disclosed that radio and television served as their sources of investment-related information. Also, the degree of awareness regarding investment opportunities was influenced by gender, age, and household size. The findings indicate that among the investment avenues available to traders, gold and other minerals are not well-known by traders.
 Unique contributor to theory, policy and practice: Therefore, it is recommended that programs and talk shows are organized for people to be aware of these avenues. Policymakers should prioritize programs focused on enhancing the financial inclusion of petty traders by improving the accessibility of formal financial services such as savings accounts, credit facilities, and insurance products. The research findings could potentially aid in improving financial inclusion for small-scale traders, informing local government policies that support them, providing valuable market intelligence for businesses targeting this demographic, and contributing to academic knowledge in the fields of economics, finance, and development studies.

Information Sources Utilization and Adoption Behaviour of Pineapple Growers in Nagaland

Pineapple being one of the important horticultural crops of Nagaland, adoption of sustainable cultivation practices is crucial with changing climatic conditions. The study was conducted in Nagaland during 2018-2022 to evaluate the factors influencing the use of information sources and technology adoption for sustainable pineapple cultivation. Altogether 275 respondents were selected from 13 villages representing three leading pineapple growing districts of Nagaland using proportionate random sampling. The study revealed that informal sources of information were most preferred by the respondents. Selection of improved varieties, planting materials, weed management, ratooning, storage, and post-harvest management practices were fully adopted by the respondents. Variables viz., size of land under pineapple cultivation, annual income, income from pineapple cultivation, training exposure, experience, social participation, attitude, economic motivation, and knowledge had significant relationships with the information sources utilization and technology adoption. The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.582 and 0.581 for explaining the utilization of information sources and adoption respectively. It is recommended that strengthening extension-farmer linkages and improving digital literacy may help enhance the efficacy of the information sources as well as improve technology adoption by pineapple growers.

Farmers’ perceptions of integrated desert locust management: a case study in Isiolo and Meru Counties of Kenya

Abstract The destructive nature of desert locust invasions in terms of reduced food security and loss of agricultural income necessitates effective control strategies. While chemical spraying is effective, it is harmful to the environment, human, and animal health. Therefore, an alternative is the implementation of an integrated desert locust management (IDLM) approach that entails surveillance and early warning systems, rational combination of chemicals, biological measures, and indigenous control methods. Adopting IDLM depends on an understanding of human behavior and perceptions as an avenue for disseminating information for effective control. However, there is limited knowledge of the drivers of farmers’ perceptions of IDLM. This study sought to fill the above knowledge gap by applying the principal component analysis method to develop a composite index that was subsequently used in a regression analysis of data collected from a sample of 391 farmers in Isiolo and Meru counties in Kenya. Descriptive results showed that informal sources and channels were the main sources of desert locust information, and most farmers held positive or neutral perceptions. The regression analysis results highlighted the role of formal and informal sources of information, private land ownership, and previous shocks in influencing farmers’ perceptions of integrated desert locust management. The study recommends targeted messaging of desert locust management approaches through coordinated surveillance and timely response by national and international agencies, empowering community leaders as the key entry point, and building local capacity for accurate observation and timely reporting of invasions as measures towards sustainable desert locust control efforts.

Exploring the Information Sources Consulted by Doctors at the Point of Care in Four Selected South African Referral Hospitals.

To provide an understanding of the clinical information sources consulted by teaching or referral hospital-based doctors in four South African provinces. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used. To identify provinces, hospitals, and participants, simple random sampling was adopted. This study targeted a total of 276 doctors from all the four hospitals working across different departments within the hospitals. This study was conducted in four selected South African public referral/teaching hospitals in four different provinces, namely Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in the Eastern Cape province; Witbank Hospital in Mpumalanga province; Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Northern Cape province and lastly, Pietersburg Hospital in Limpopo province. Overall, 221 doctors were surveyed. Doctors relied more on colleagues as formal and informal sources of information. They seldomly relied on newspapers, reference, and library books, or used hospital computers to access the internet. They seldomly attended training workshops organised by the district or provincial office. Protocols and clinical guidelines which are kept in the hospitals and easily accessible were often (27.9%) or always (51.1%) used. Teaching hospitals need to strengthen information resources to ensure that even when colleagues are used as an information source, they are an accessible means to validate the correctness of the information provided.

Information behaviour and factors influencing family planning knowledge of Myanmar ethnic migrants: a qualitative study

The accessibility to quality family planning (FP) information and counselling for Myanmar ethnic migrants in Thailand is questionable. Inadequate knowledge and lack of informed choice to practice FP methods increase the risk of unmet needs and method failures in FP, which could result in unplanned pregnancies and induced abortions. This research aimed to understand the FP information behaviour of a Pa-O migrant group, as well as structural and agency influencing factors on FP knowledge acquisition in Chiang Mai. A qualitative research based on the Information Behaviour model and Structuration theory was conducted using participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. A non-probability sampling method was employed, and 31 respondents participated in the study. The study found that actively seeking FP information from formal sources to make an informed decision was not common among Pa-O migrants. Instead, there was more reliance on informal information sources for choosing FP methods. Cultural norms related to sex, marriage, and age hinder migrant health information-seeking behaviour from formal and informal information sources. Pa-O migrants were alienated from structural resources, limiting the opportunities to promote FP knowledge. The personal and situational factors that significantly influenced the agency of migrants were lack of awareness of the right to information, language barriers, and perceived communication barriers with health staff. Limited resources of migrant-friendly health education programmes adversely affect migrant FP information behaviour. Reproductive health education programmes, including quality FP counselling services, should be accessible for marginalised migrants to ensure that their choices of FP are well-informed.

A benchmark model for exploring the differentiation of trust in information sources in heterogeneous farmers' green behavior.

The literature reports that trust in information sources (ISs) is an important determinant of farmers' adoption of sustainable environmental practices. However, few in-depth studies have focused on the differences in trust among different ISs in heterogeneous farmers' green behavior. Therefore, it is challenging for heterogeneous farmers to design efficient and differentiated information strategies. This study proposes a benchmark model to explore differences in trust in different ISs in the application of organic fertilizers (OFs) to farmers at different scales. A total of 361 farmers of a geographically indicated agricultural product in China were evaluated to understand their trust in different ISs when adopting OFs. The results identify the differentiation of heterogeneous farmers' trust in different ISs when considering green practices. Specifically, large-scale farmers' green behavior is more likely to be influenced by trust in formal ISs (strength-weakness ratio of 1.15 for the effect of two ISs), whereas small-scale farmers' green behavior is strongly influenced by trust in informal ISs (strength-weakness ratio of 4.62 for the effect of two ISs). This difference was mainly caused by differences in farmers' information acquisition ability, level of social capital, and preference for social learning. The model and findings of this study can aid policy-makers in designing effective and differentiated information interventions for different types of farmers to maximize their adoption of sustainable environmental practices.

Are common bean traders efficient? An empirical evidence from Malawi

Efficient agricultural markets can be a bedrock for diverse economy-wide benefits ranging from improvements in resource use to price stabilisation. However, as is the case with most developing and agrarian countries, Malawi's agricultural markets are still developing. This is mainly the case in the country's legume markets, especially the bean marketing system. The current study assessed the market efficiency of common bean traders in Malawi using a multiple linear regression model. By focusing on the bean traders in the major markets in Malawi, the study departs from earlier research on bean marketing, which has placed greater emphasis on the farmer. The findings reveal that traders in bean markets mostly use informal sources of market information. Again, transaction costs such as transportation, storage, handling and distance to sources of bean reduce marketing efficiency. The scale of the operation portrayed a positive influence on marketing efficiency. Access to credit significantly increased marketing efficiency for both wholesalers and retailers. In addition, markets that are located in rural areas had a negative effect on marketing efficiency as compared to markets in urban areas, further agreeing with the focus of the National Agriculture Policy (NAP) to introduce structured markets in rural areas. The study recommends adjustments in policies in the NAP that would promote smooth access to reliable market information, especially in rural areas. The upgrading of the rural road system and warehousing facilities should be promoted in order to lower transaction costs. This will enable bean traders to expand their operations on a larger scale while also lowering expenses and increasing profits.

A qualitative study identifying challenges resulting from complex evidence on lifestyle factors and cancer: perspectives from Black and Latina cancer survivors and healthcare providers.

Most breast cancer survivors have challenges with adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors. This may be due to contextual challenges that result from the complex nature of the evidence. To address this gap, we explored the experiences of breast cancer survivors of color and oncology healthcare providers. Content analysis with inductive and deductive approaches was used for semi-structured interviews with 26 female breast cancer survivors and 10 oncology healthcare providers from Greater New Haven, Connecticut. Survivors identified substantial confusion on the evidence regarding lifestyle behaviors and breast cancer, stemming from inadequate healthcare provider counseling and an overreliance on informal sources of information. Providers identified lack of evidence-based knowledge as a barrier to counseling on these topics. There was a mixed perspective regarding the consistency of evidence, stemming from a combination of gaps in the available evidence and accessing evidence-based knowledge from a wide range of professional resources. Some providers perceived the guidelines as consistent; others felt guidelines were constantly changing, impacting how and on what they counseled. Therefore, many healthcare providers in oncology care relied on generic messaging on lifestyle behaviors after a cancer diagnosis. Inconsistent information sources, the rapidly changing evidence, and gaps in the current evidence contribute to generic messaging about lifestyle behaviors and may inhibit a survivor's ability to engage in behavior change. Consistent and uniform healthy lifestyle guidelines for cancer outcomes may address both provider and patient level barriers to knowledge.

Knowledge Level and Adoption Behaviour of Maize Growers in Selected Districts of Nagaland, India

The paper examined the knowledge level and adoption behaviour of maize growers in Nagaland. Altogether, 120 respondents were selected following proportionate random sampling from 8 villages from four blocks of two districts. Two indices, namely, knowledge and adoption indices were developed. The maize growers had inadequate knowledge of improved cultivation practices of maize. Respondents had inadequate adoption index. The variables- age, marital status, and family size had having statistically significant relationship at 5% with knowledge level. Simultaneously, income from maize cultivation, informal information, mass media, social participation, and experience in maize cultivation established a statistically significant relationship at 1% with the knowledge level. Similarly, marital status, education, and informal sources of information established a statistically significant relationship at 5% with the adoption level, and annual income was found to be statistically significant at 1% with the adoption level. It is recommended that all the stakeholders and extension systems take the initiative to improve maize cultivation in Nagaland, which will accelerate the socio-economic up-scaling of the study community. Concerned authorities may also carry out frequent capacity development and technology transfer drives for improvement.

The social information needs of people with albinism (PWA): A case study of Khomas region, Namibia

This paper focuses on the social information needs of people with albinism (PWA) in Khomas region, Namibia, and the sources of information used PWA to meet their information needs. The study applies Moore's model of social information needs and Wilson's model of information behaviour to investigate and understand the information needs and sources used by PWA to find information. The study was carried out using a qualitative case design within interpretivism paradigm and semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from participants. Sixteen participants took part in the study, eight were males, and eight were female participants. Among these participants, two were children with albinism. The following information was identified as being crucial to PWA namely: skin- and eye-related information, information on what is albinism and its causes, disability grants, educational information, and emotional and psychological support. Additionally, the study established that PWA use formal, informal, and human sources of information to find information.

A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Self-Medication Patterns during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ecuador.

Background and Objectives: Drug consumption is a widely developed practice around the world. However, sometimes medicines are acquired with or without prescription, a practice termed self-medication, which can have negative impacts on the health of the population. It has been observed that with the arrival of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, self-medicated drug consumption figures increased in several countries. To describe the patterns of medication, use and the prevalence of self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic in inhabitants of the capital province of Pichincha, Ecuador. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted based on a self-administered online questionnaire from April to June 2022, among residents of the province of Pichincha, Ecuador. Participants were invited through social networks (WhatsApp and Facebook). A total of 401 surveys were included in this study. Consumption patterns (prescription of and treatment with) of medicines during the pandemic were evaluated, as well as the prevalence of self-medication and variables that characterize the way of acquiring medicines. The Chi-square test was used to look for relationships between consumption patterns, self-medication, and the characteristics of the participants. Results: Most participants were female (53.4%), and 59.4% reported having had COVID-19. A total of 244 (60.9%) consumed medications during the pandemic, mostly for the purpose of treating the infection. About half (48.4%) self-medicated. The most used medications were paracetamol (87.3%) and ibuprofen (47.5%). Drugs consumption as a treatment and informal sources of information (TV, social networks, advice) were associated with the practice of self-medication (p < 0.05). Conclusions: A significant percentage of over-the-counter (OTC) and legal drug use was found to persist after the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight the effects that alternative forms of information sources other than medical personnel can have on drug consumption and self-medication practices.

Information needs of parents of children with congenital anomalies across Europe: a EUROlinkCAT survey

BackgroundParents of children who have a congenital anomaly can experience significant worry about their child’s health. Access to clear, helpful, and trustworthy information can provide a valuable source of support. In this study the aim was to explore the information needs of parents/carers of children with congenital anomalies across Europe.MethodA cross-sectional online survey was developed in nine languages to measure parents’ information needs, including: (1) the ‘helpfulness’/’trustworthiness’ of information received from eight relevant sources, and (2) overall satisfaction with information received. Parents/carers of children (0–10 years) with cleft lip, spina bifida, congenital heart defect [CHD] requiring surgery, and/or Down syndrome were recruited online via relevant organisations in 10 European countries from March-July 2021. Quantitative analyses using multivariable logistic regressions were performed.ResultsOne thousand seventy parents/carers of children with a cleft lip (n = 247), spina bifida (n = 118), CHD (n = 366), Down syndrome (n = 281), and Down syndrome with CHD (n = 58) were recruited in Poland (n = 476), the UK (n = 120), Germany (n = 97), the Netherlands/Belgium (n = 74), Croatia (n = 68), Italy (n = 59), other European countries (n = 92), and not specified/non-European countries (n = 84). Most participants were mothers (92%) and aged 31–40 years (71%). Participants were most likely to rate support groups (63%), patient organisations (60%), specialist doctors/nurses (58%), and social media (57%) as ‘very helpful’ information sources. ‘Very trustworthy’ ratings remained high for specialist doctors/nurses (61%), however, they declined for support groups (47%), patient organisations (48%), and social media (35%). Germany had the highest proportion of participants who were ‘very satisfied’ (44%, 95% CI = 34%-54%) with information, whereas this percentage was lowest in Croatia (11%, 95% CI = 3%-19%) and Poland (15%, 95% CI = 11%-18%). Parents of children with Down syndrome had significantly lower satisfaction ratings than parents of children with CHD; 13% (95% CI = 8%-18%) reported being ‘very satisfied’ compared to 28% (95% CI = 23%-33%) in the CHD group.ConclusionsFindings suggest that informal sources of information (e.g. support groups) are of value to parents, however, they are not deemed as trustworthy as specialist medical sources. Satisfaction ratings differed across countries and by anomaly, and were particularly low in Croatia and Poland, as well as for parents of children with Down syndrome, which warrants further investigation.

The challenges of anti-doping education implementation in Kenya: Perspectives from athletes and anti-doping educators

BackgroundKenyan athletes are at a significantly higher risk of doping, with research suggesting that their anti-doping knowledge is poor. WADA actively promotes education to prevent doping however, these efforts should account for regional contexts. The purpose of this study was to understand the challenges of anti-doping education by examining the experience that Kenyan athletes and educators have had with these programs. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven long-distance runners and two anti-doping educators. Athletes and educators were included to understand the experience of delivering and receiving anti-doping education. Thematic analysis was performed on the data. ResultsThree main themes were identified. First, the athletes questioned the quality of education and expressed skepticism about its effectiveness. Furthermore, issues of accessibility surfaced with elite athletes receiving priority. Second, in the absence of education, athletes relied upon coaches and managers as information sources, which opened avenues for athlete exploitation. Third, athletes perceived doping as prevalent and easy to engage in. Moreover, some athletes believed that the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya and the Athletics Federation were colluding to protect some athletes and this perception challenged the legitimacy of these organizations. ConclusionsWhile efforts to deliver anti-doping education in Kenya have improved, sub-elite and developing athletes may be neglected. This leads to an overreliance on informal sources of information and the potential for athlete exploitation. In developing countries, anti-doping organizations may need to leverage the existing infrastructure of coaches to promote anti-doping education information delivery.

Psychosocial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the employees of the automotive industry in Germany

This study aims to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 coronavirus on employees’ psychological well-being; to explore whether socio-demographic characteristics of employees predict the negative effect of the pandemic on their well-being; to analyze factors (level of trust in the official and informal sources of information, expectations and concerns, coping activities and emotional states) associated with such negative effect. A total of 1.937 completed online surveys were gathered from May 11–June 7, 2020. After excluding participants whose psychological well-being subjectively was not affected by COVID-19 outbreak, the overall sample was divided into high (374 employees) and low-affected (762 employees) groups. Statistically significant differences between emotional states, concerns and coping activities of participants from high- and low-affected groups were found. The high intensity of the COVID-19 outbreak’s influence on employees’ psychological well-being has positive correlations with respondents’ financial circumstances, negative emotional states (tension, stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms), concerns and expectations regarding work, financial complications, health, and social issues. It also positively correlates with such coping activities as seeking support from a professional psychotherapist or psychologist.

Temporal search persistence, certainty, and source preference in dentistry: Results from the National Dental PBRN

The primary goal of this paper was to investigate an old question in a new way: what are the search patterns that professionals demonstrate when faced with a specific knowledge gap? We examine data from a cascading survey question design that captures details about searching for information to answer a self-nominated clinical question from 1027 dental professionals enrolled in the National Dental Practice Based Research Network. Descriptive and conditional logistical regression analysis techniques were used. 61% of professionals in our sample choose informal sources of information, with only about 11% looking to formal peer reviewed evidence. The numbers of professionals turning to general internet searches is more than twice as high as any other information source other than professional colleagues. Dentists with advanced training and specialists are significantly more likely to consult peer-reviewed sources, and women in the sample were more likely than men to continue searching past a first source. Speed/availability of information may be just as, or in some cases, more important than credibility for professionals' search behavior. Additionally, our findings suggest that more insights are needed into how various categories of professionals within a profession seek information differently.

Workarounds in the Shadow System: An Ethnographic Study of Requirements for Documentation and Cooperation in a Clinical Advisory Center.

Hospital information systems (HIS) are meant to manage complex work processes across healthcare organizations. We describe limitations of HIS to address local information requirements and how they are circumvented at different organizational levels. Results can be used to better support collaboration in socio-technical systems. Workarounds describe a mismatch between a technology's purpose and its actual use, whereas shadow systems are unofficial IT systems circumventing limitations of official systems to support workflows. Boundary infrastructures are conceptualized as the entirety of all (in)formal digital and analog systems connecting different communities of practice in a socio-technical system. An ethnographic study with observations and semi-structured interviews was conducted and analyzed through categorization and iterative coding. Several digital-analog workarounds are employed for documentation and a shared server functions as a shadow system to support workflows in ways the HIS cannot. For collaborative documentation, all (official and informal) information sources were used simultaneously as part of an interconnected boundary infrastructure. Formal and informal IT systems are interconnected across different organizational levels and provide insights into unmet information requirements, effective and problematic work practices, and how to address them to improve system functioning. An integrated perspective on boundary infrastructures, workarounds, and shadow systems may advance system analysis, providing a more comprehensive picture of IT requirements than any concept alone. Workarounds and shadow systems highlight that HIS should support systemic and local needs. Customized interfaces in HIS to support search, access, and exchange of relevant data might help to mitigate current shortcomings.

Information Sources Utilization among Potato Farmers in North East India

Information technology has transformed many other aspects of human endeavor and has helped create systems for responding to a wide range of societal needs. The benefits of pertinent farm related information in empowering farmer are significant and remain to be exploited. Potato is one of the most important crops grown successfully in North East India but farmers have limited access to the updated information. A research study was undertaken in four major potato growing states of NE including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura with a sample of 480 farmers. It was found that potato farmers preferred to utilize informal information sources more than formal as well as the mass media sources with respect to using inputs and taking pertinent decisions with respect to sustainable potato cultivation. Farmers urgently require timely and reliable sources of information for taking important farm management decisions. Therefore, it is recommended to popularize the strategic use of mass media including user friendly ICT tools for better and faster outreach to the target farmers.