Preferred Information Sources Research Articles

Citation analysis of doctoral theses in botany submitted to Kuvempu University, India: a case study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the materials cited in doctoral theses of botany, submitted to the Kuvempu University during the years 2000‐2006, with the aim of improving the existing collection development of the library.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed descriptive research design. Theses submitted for the award of Doctoral degree from 2000 to 2006 to the Department of Botany, Kuvempu University were examined. The population of the study was all the theses submitted during the periods under study. Data were extracted from title page and references given at the end of each chapter. Extracted data were analysed using statistics.FindingsThe study reveals that journals are the most preferred sources of information used by the researchers in the field of botany, accounting for 74.77 per cent of total citations, although citations from books, proceedings, theses, reports and patents are also found. It is also observed those researchers are not taking much advantage of internet resources. The journal Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (USA) was ranked the first, with 158 citations, accounting for 7.57 per cent of the total journal citations. Further, Bradford's law of scattering was applied. It is observed that major citations come from journal literature. In addition, more cited materials were contributed by multi authors and degree of collaboration is 0.75.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper presents a sense of the importance of botany research, and as such informs that community, as well as researchers involved in citation analysis.Originality/valueThe outcome of the study is an original research work with citation analysis of doctoral theses in botany. It highlights the information materials available and used by researchers of the Botany Department for their research work and those which need to be added for a healthy collection.

Women’s reported health behaviours before and during pregnancy: A retrospective study

Objective: This study aimed to determine women’s reported health behaviours (physical activity, diet, weight management) before and during pregnancy, and to identify sources of health information. Design: Retrospective study incorporating quantitative (a self-completed survey) and qualitative (one-on-one interviews) methods. Methodology: Participants were women aged 18 or over; had no pre-existing medical condition that might be exacerbated during pregnancy (e.g. diabetes, heart condition); and had given birth in the last 12 months. Nineteen women agreed to one-on-one interviews and 100 women agreed to complete a mailed questionnaire. Qualitative data and quantitative data were analysed using a descriptive qualitative methodology and by using McNemar’s test for correlated proportions, respectively. Results: Participants reported a significant reduction in their level of physical activity during pregnancy; a significant increase in consumption of fruit, vegetables and fibre, and a decrease in fast food consumption (all p < 0.05). Medical practitioners are the preferred source of health information but seem to provide insufficient information about health behaviours during pregnancy in relation to physical activity, diet and weight management. Conclusion: Women reported eating a healthier diet and reducing their level of physical activity during the antenatal period, compared to pre-pregnancy. There is a need to improve the provision of health information on physical activity, diet and weight management in the antenatal period.

An informetrics study of the cited references in archival research in sub-Saharan Africa: A measure of the archival researchers' preferences?

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the application of informetrics to determine authors' preferences for specific sources of information when conducting their research, as well as to find out the information-related preferences of authors publishing archival research in sub-Saharan Africa. Relevant data was extracted from five electronic databases, hosted by the EBSCO publishing company, using a uniform search query that combined the name of the author's affiliate country and archives (truncated as "archiv*"). The search was limited to full-text papers only. The results show that archival researchers in sub-Saharan African countries prefer (a) journals as the sources of information, with the journal for the Eastern and Southern African Region of the Board of International Council of Archivists (ESARBICA) the most cited; (b) relatively old sources – average citation age 11.87 years; (c) archives subject-specific sources; and (d) peers whose research interest is in the same subject field, namely archives and records management. We recommend that an aggressive and effective public programming of archives be conducted in sub-Saharan Africa to increase awareness of the importance of archives in research. We conclude that informetrics is one way of measuring authors' preferences for particular sources of information.

Antenatal Education: An Assessment of Pregnant Women Knowledge and Preferences in Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Antenatal educational programs are delivered during the childbearing years to expecting mothers. These interventions are considered preparatory strategies for physiological and psychological changes during pregnancy. Aim: To assess the antenatal knowledge and describe the learning needs and preferred information seeking behavior of expecting and/or new Saudi mothers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at multiple primary health care centers in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was used to assess levels of antenatal knowledge, educational preferences, and information Results: The mean antenatal knowledge score was low (34.8/100). Educational material in written format was preferred by 39.8% of the sample, followed by a preference for one to one education (18.8%). Physicians were the preferred source of information by 2/3 of the participants. Preferred educational strategies were motivation and support, guidance, problem solving, and dos and don’ts. Selected content ranged from identifying pregnancy symptoms, to post-partum care. Conclusion: Antenatal knowledge scores were low with no variation with age or educational level among this population. Reform in antenatal educational content, channels, and formats should be adapted according to the preferences of the target population. Further research is recommended on the evaluation of the content of antenatal education and its cultural relevance.

The way we were: a snapshot of Australian public health in 1993

Margo Saunders, BA, Public Health Policy Researcher and Consultant, Canberra, Australia takes an interesting trip down memory lane with a set of public health journals from 1993Opening a dusty and undisturbed set of public health journals from 1993 provided one of those 'time capsule' moments in which the old and the new seem closely entwined. It was simply impossible to ignore the contemporary relevance of so much of the information and insights within the pages of the twenty-year old issues of the Australian Journal of Public Health (now the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health).A number of articles focus on the different ways that men and women, and people who live in different types of localities, receive and prefer to receive health information - an important issue today, given the increasing attention being paid to health literacy. Relevant to current discussions about the role of primary care providers in preventive health are several studies which discuss survey respondents' views about doctors and pharmacists as sources of preventive health. The articles also mention, almost casually, concepts such as 'emotional barriers to health care' and 'response efficacy' - significant concepts which deserve, and are beginning to receive, greater recognition today. It was also fascinating to read about screenings and surveys involving thousands of participants, well before the internet era.Information-seeking behaviour and health risk behavioursGiven the emergence of health literacy as a key factor in health outcomes, a study which considered the possible association between information-seeking and health risk behaviours was of particular interest.1 Today's health literacy researchers who bemoan the focus on 'patients' and 'health care' rather than prevention2 would be interested in the questionnaire (152 items!) administered to more than 2,000 adults on knowledge, attitude and behaviour in relation to preventive health, as well as sources of health information. Also included were questions about use of existing health services and questions designed to assess community skills and locus of control.The findings revealed the considerable weight given to prevention information from medical practitioners, even though they were not the principal source of health information; there were also gender-based differences in preferred sources of information. Overall, health information-seeking was significantly related to health actions and inversely related to risky behaviour.The authors acknowledged that their findings leave unanswered questions about the causal relationship between information-seeking and health status, and they highlight the need for continuing research into 'the complex and costly issue of risk factor determinants'. They conclude by drawing attention to the important issue of 'emotional barriers' in accessing health services, particularly for some groups.How fascinating it would be to run an updated version of this survey to take account of new media and insights into gendered aspects of information-seeking and preventive health behaviour!Information for preventive health care in rural AustraliaThe ways in which people in rural Australia access information about illness prevention provided the focus of another article about health information (which, like the article by Kassulke, makes no mention of 'health literacy').3The answers to two questions - what sources of preventive health information are regarded as important, and do information media differ in their importance to difference groups - reveal a number of gender-based differences in information sources and also highlight the role of medical practitioners and pharmacists as the dominant source of information about illness prevention. 'Almost without exception,' the authors report, 'this primacy held across all groups of respondents, regardless of age, sex or geographic location'. …

Are patients well informed about the fasting requirements for laboratory blood testing?

Introduction:Proper preparation of the individual is a key prerequisite for ensuring the quality of laboratory testing. Our hypothesis was that many outpatients are not sufficiently familiar with the correct way of preparing for the laboratory tests, for which the individual needs to be at fasting. This study aimed to investigate: i) whether patients are aware of how they need to prepare properly for laboratory tests; ii) the way in which users are informed about how to prepare for laboratory testing; and iii) whether users arrive to the laboratory for phlebotomy properly prepared.Materials and methods:An anonymous questionnaire was conducted on 150 outpatients older than 18 years, during February 2013. The response rate was 11%. All patients were interviewed by the laboratory staff. Patients were informed about detail of the questionnaire and agreed to participate in the survey.Results:Out of the total number subjects, 39% were fully aware of the proper definition of the fasting, whereas even 46% subjects replied that the last meal has to be taken the day before and the exact time that must pass after the last meal to blood sampling is not important. Furthermore, 52% subjects did not receive any information about how they need to prepare themselves properly for blood testing. Only 60% of them came properly prepared for the laboratory blood testing.Conclusions:Substantial proportion of patients do not come properly prepared for laboratory testing. We conclude that patients are not well informed about the fasting requirements for laboratory blood testing. Moreover, requesting physician is the preferred source of information from which patients learn how to prepare themselves for phlebotomy.

Designing and Implementing an Information Service Model for Geography Teachers in a Developing Country: The Case for Lesotho

This paper outlines the approaches that can be used in the deployment of an information service for geography teachers in a developing country in Africa. The paper is based on a study of Lesotho geography teachers’ information behaviour that aimed to guide the design of information service for these teachers. It enumerates the process of designing an information service for these teachers including a user needs assessment. The study used triangulation by using multiple data collection methods on three sets of participants. Data were collected from in-service geography teachers using focus group discussions, from prospective geography teachers with a questionnaire and from stakeholders involved in geography education in Lesotho through interviews. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and content analysis were used to analyse the data. The paper presents the working context of the geography teachers, their information needs and preference for information sources and communication channels. It also proposes a collaborative information service model for the geography teachers. This includes an implementation agency involving the information specialists, subject specialists and stakeholders working together to assist teachers with information. The paper outlines modalities for the implementation of the information service. It ends with possible strategies for evaluating the impact of the information service to check the achievements against the set objectives. It concludes that the information service model can be adapted as a prototype for other teachers across the curriculum as well as in other developing countries in a setting similar to that of Lesotho.

Keeping informed during times of economic downturn: the trusted amateur as a preferred source of financial information

Service providers need to understand financial capability from the perspective of the older client, in order to deliver services best suited for this age group. This article explores how older people perceive one dimension of their financial capability—their ability to stay financially informed. Older people were found to be accessing less traditional sources of financial information: they are either selfreliant for information, researching on the internet or using the media, or they tap into existing sources of social capital found within their social networks. Trusted public and voluntary sector service providers are preferred information resources over and above professionals in financial services. These findings suggest financial services need to build trust and/or form partnerships with other trusted voluntary or public sector services.

Media Use as a Predictor of the Political Behaviour of Undergraduates in South-West Nigeria

The objective of this research was to determine the predictive value of media exposure on the political knowledge and behaviour of undergraduates in South-West Nigeria. It also sought to discover which medium is the dominant or preferred source of political information for respondents and which of the media would have greater influence on their political knowledge and behaviour. The research platform was survey. Through a combination of stratified and multi-stage sampling, a comprehensive sample frame of 4,700 respondents was generated from a cluster of faculties/colleges from six universities. From the 4,228 copies of questionnaire returned and analysed, findings showed that contrary to earlier-held notions, exposure to the electronic media (Radio, Television and Internet) predicted higher political knowledge and behaviour among respondents than the print media. The results also showed that there was a significant influence of exposure to media on respondents? political behaviour (t 4226 = 2.365; p<.05_. The calculated t value of 2.365 was found to be significantly higher than the critical t value of 1.960 at 4226 degrees of freedom at 0.05 level of significance. The study also revealed that television was the most dominant source of political information among the respondents. Based on these findings, it was suggested, among others, that Government and media proprietors should synergise efforts to curb the incidence of poor reading culture among youths through reduced costs and richer contents of the print media. Keywords: Media Use, Political Knowledge, Media Exposure, Political Behaviour.

Correlates of health attitudes among homosexual and bisexual men

There is increased emphasis on physician attention to the overall health and wellness of homosexual and bisexual men, though little is known about the health-related attitudes of these groups. This study determined factors associated with the health attitudes of homosexual and bisexual men and identified preferred sources of health information. For this study, the 2008 ConsumerStyles panel survey was used to create three health attitude scales and to determine factors associated with each scale. The three scales were labeled: (1) health motivation; (2) relationship with health care provider; and (3) self-perception of health literacy. In addition to other factors, higher scores for health motivation and relationship with health care provider were associated with black compared with white men. In contrast, lower scores for self-perception of health literacy were associated with black compared with white men. For information on an unfamiliar health condition, most homosexual and bisexual men chose the Internet. Black homosexual and bisexual men reported being motivated to be healthy and working well with their health care provider to manage their health. However, their perception of their own health motivation was low compared with the white men. Attempts to improve health literacy through Internet sites may be helpful in improving health attitudes and reducing negative health outcomes.

Arable Crop Farmers Preference for Agricultural Information Sources and Adoption of Technology in Edo State, Nigeria

This study examined the accessibility of arable crop farmers to agricultural information in Edo State. A total of 180 farmers from six randomly selected communities were used for the study. Data were collected with interview schedule, only 142 interview schedule were however found useful for analysis. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study result revealed that crop farmers preferred radio as the most use channel of agricultural information (mean= 2.33). Improved seedlings and varieties was the most adopted technology. Increased yields (mean=2.34), increased income (mean=2.20) and proper use of improved varieties (mean=2.18) were found to be the major benefits derived from the use of agricultural information. Hypotheses testing of relationship showed that respondents sex (mean = 0.488), marital status (mean = 0.352) had no significant relationship with crop farmers sources of agricultural information. The study recommends the integration and mobilization of the various informal groups in the rural area in the information dissemination network of agricultural programmers, the employment and use of town carriers in the rural areas to create awareness as regards new developed agricultural technologies, the establishment of information centers at the local government headquarters.

Arable Crop Farmers Preference for Agricultural Information Sources and Adoption of Technology in Edo State, Nigeria

Arable Crop Farmers Preference for Agricultural Information Sources and Adoption of Technology in Edo State, Nigeria

"Are genetically modified foods bad for my health?". Consumer evaluation and preferred information source

We investigate the impact of competing information on the consumer’s evaluation of food products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). We provide three main results. First, we show that introducing mandatory labels to identify whether or not a food product contains GMOs significantly reduces the consumer evaluation. Second, providing additional information on GMOs with respect to labels significantly affects evaluation. Third, no matter what kind of information previously received, the consumer prefers to seek additional information from the information source they trust the most, i.e., their general practitioner (GP). Overall, these results indicate that the crucial issue for regulating GMOs is not the presence of the label per se, but the availability of the necessary information to make good use of the label content in order to assess potential health risks deriving from genetically modified foods. In particular, our findings suggest that this can be achieved by properly informing (and convincing) GPs and other health professionals that the risks for human health are minimal.

1870 Assessing the Information and Support Needs of Parents of Young Children in Canada

AimTo determine the parenting information and support needs of parents of young children in an urban center in Canada.MethodsA self-administered survey was mailed to a stratified random sample of 1064...

Public health benefits and risks of fish consumption: current scientific evidence v. media coverage.

To evaluate if and how the current degree of scientific uncertainty about the safety of fish consumption is incorporated at the media level. We used a dedicated software (TalTac®) to investigate the content of 169 news articles related to ‘mercury and fish consumption’ that appeared from 1990 to 2010 in the two Italian broadsheets with the highest circulation figures, in order to identify journalistic frames used in the coverage of benefits v. risks associated with fish consumption. Hypotheses were made on how the public might change fish consumption patterns as a result of media coverage. Italy. The two newspapers have different agendas in covering the issue. La Repubblica appears to support the view that, besides health benefits, there may be risks associated with fish consumption, while Corriere della Sera emphasizes health benefits more than possible risks. Depending on the preferred information source, the public could: (i) reduce its fish intake; (ii) increase its fish intake; or (iii) become confused about the problem and sceptical towards the media, as a result of conflicting journalistic frames. The Italian media, in cooperation with scientists, public health nutritionists and dietitians, should place more emphasis on the existence of a few fish species with high to very high Hg levels and relatively low contents of beneficial n-3 fatty acids (e.g. swordfish and shark). This would enable consumers to make more educated purchasing decisions to maximize the benefits of n-3 intake while reducing possible risks from consuming Hg-contaminated fish.

Investment Patterns of Individual Stock Investors: An Empirical Analysis of Punjab

The article is an exploratory attempt to analyse investment pattern of individual stock investors of Punjab. For the purpose, the preferences for various financial products, factors influencing such preferences, time spent on monitoring investments and the sources of information chased by them before investing are gauged. An in-depth analysis is carried out to find out whether demographic variables, that is, age, gender and income, exert a significant impact on the choice of various investment avenues. A pre-tested, well-structured questionnaire was administered personally to 250 individual stock investors in Punjab and their responses were sought for further analysis. The responses have been analysed in terms of frequencies, percentages and weighted average scores and factor analytic techniques. Bank fixed deposits have been found as first preference followed by gold as the second preference and then stocks as the third preference. The results of the factor analysis revealed four factors, that is, projected benefits, personal financial need, taxation benefits and security needs. Internet, Investment advisors and family-member recommendations are their most preferred sources of information. Large numbers of investors have been found monitoring their investments monthly. The current research will be helpful for financial service providers in understanding the investment preferences of individual stock investors and tracking the factors that influence individual investors to invest and suggesting investment options to them as per their needs.

Information Source Preferences and Associated Expenditure of First-Time and Repeat Visitors at a South African Wine Festival

Growth in the number of festivals urges festival organizers and researchers alike to find ways to effectively identify and attract visitors. The reason for this is an increase in competition due to an increase in the number of events as well as a greater need for festivals to contribute to the economic well-being of communities where these events/festivals are hosted. One such approach is segmentation by means of information sources, associated expenditure, and frequency of visitation. The Wacky Wine Festival in Robertson, South Africa is one of the country's largest wine festivals. This wine festival is unique in that it takes place on an existing wine route where 48 wine farms actively participate in the festival. This article presents the results of a survey that was conducted during the festival in June 2009 when visitors to the festival completed 424 questionnaires. The aim of this exploratory research was to determine first-time and repeat visitors' information source preference at the festival as well as the associated expenditure. Correspondence analysis, as well as ANOVAs, was used to analyze the data. The results revealed that visitors to the Wacky Wine Festival have specific preferences for certain information sources and that visitors' expenditure at the festival also varies. The results also revealed valuable information concerning the design and implementation of marketing strategies aimed at both first-time and repeat visitors at the festival.

Family and Personal Predictors of Early Adolescent Eating Patterns

Many early adolescents report consuming less than the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and up to one-third report skipping breakfast. Recent research suggests that children consider parents to be the gatekeepers of food choices, and that parents are important role models for children’s eating behaviors. This study examined perceived control over food choices, familial communication regarding healthy eating, and preferred sources of information about healthy eating in relation to eating behaviors. Data were obtained from 959 early adolescents attending health programs in the Midwest. Early adolescents who reported more frequent family discussions were more likely to report eating two or more vegetables per day (AOR=1.4, p

Physicians reading and writing practices: a cross-sectional study from Civil Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan

BackgroundTo determine the behavior of physicians regarding medical literature reading and participation in research activities at one of the largest teaching hospitals in Pakistan.MethodThis descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted by interviewing the house officers, residents and fellows of six major specialties (Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Psychology, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Anesthesia) in Civil Hospital, Karachi between August and December, 2011. The questionnaire elicited responses regarding the reading habits of physicians, preferred sources of information, their participation in research activities (publication & supervision) and views regarding journal club. SPSS 17.0 was used for data entry and analysis.ResultA total of 259 completely filled questionnaires were returned with a response rate of 85.19%. Mean age of the participants was 29.67 ± 7.65 years. Books were selected by 71.4% doctors as their preferred source of information, regardless of their clinical specialties. (p < 0.05). E-journals were preferred by 75.7% of the doctors over printed journals. This holds true for doctors from all specialties (p < 0.05). The ease of searching for relevant articles was the major contributor (50.5%) in preference of e-journals. 137 (52.9%) doctors read 5 or less articles per week. 30 (11.6%) doctors have subscription of journals (printed or electronic). At least one research paper has been published by 151 (58.3%) of the physicians interviewed. Most common reason for not participating in research activities was busy schedule (56.4%). Almost half (49.4%) doctors reported lack of journal club in their units. Of these, majority (88.35%) wanted a journal club in their respective units.ConclusionUrgent intervention is required to promote healthcare literature reading and writing practice in our physicians. Easy access to workplace computers with internet and subscription of paid journals will facilitate physicians. Lack of supervisors and busy schedule were reported to be important contributors for not participating in research. Addressing these issues will encourage doctors to participate more in research activities.

Factors associated with adolescents’ perspectives on health needs and preference for health information sources in Taiwan

ObjectiveTo identify health needs, preferred sources of health information and associated factors in Taiwanese adolescents.DesignCross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted in Taiwanese adolescents aged 12–18 years in 2010.Outcome measuresAdolescents were queried about...