General practitioners' use of evidence databases.
cross_sectional · Level IV
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the awareness and use of the Cochrane Library and access to the Internet by general practitioners in New South Wales. DESIGN: Cross-sectional postal survey in September 1997. PARTICIPANTS: 311 of 428 (73% response rate) randomly selected general practitioners in New South Wales. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of respondents with access to the Internet at home or at work; proportion of respondents aware of, with access to, and ever using the Cochrane Library; independent predictors of awareness of the Cochrane Library. RESULTS: 134 respondents (43%) had access to the Internet either at home or at work; 42 (14%) were "on line" at their workplace. Seventy (22%) were aware of the Cochrane Library, although only 20 (6%) had access to it and 13 (4%) had ever used it. Those in group practice and members of Divisions were independently more likely to be aware of the Cochrane Library. CONCLUSIONS: As patient outcomes will improve with systematic implementation of evidence-based treatments, these low rates of access to useful evidence databases raise issues regarding the best ways to support general practitioners with information technology.