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Factors affecting online research by nurses in Taiwan

Hung‐Yi Lu (Department of Communication and Graduate Institute of Telecommunications, National Chung Cheng University, Chia‐Yi, Taiwan)
James E. Andrews (School of Library and Information Science, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA)
Hsin‐Ya Hou (National Chengchi University, Chia‐Yi, Taiwan)
Su‐Yen Chen (Department of Communication and Graduate Institute of Telecommunications, National Chung Cheng University, Chia‐Yi, Taiwan)
Yen‐Hwa Tu (Chia‐Yi Veterans Hospital, Chia‐Yi, Taiwan)
Yung‐Chang Yu (Graduate Institute of Business Administration, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan)

Online Information Review

ISSN: 1468-4527

Article publication date: 26 September 2008

800

Abstract

Purpose

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The aim of this paper is to investigate predictors of online medical research by nurses.

Design/methodology/approach

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A cross‐sectional study was conducted and a representative sample of nurses was selected from three Taiwanese hospitals from 1 January to 31 March 2007. A total of 274 female nurses completed the questionnaire.

Findings

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The results indicate that the expectancy value of internet characteristics, attitude towards online information seeking and perceived credibility of online information significantly and positively predict online information‐seeking behaviour in nurses. Specifically, the multiple hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the perceived credibility of online information is the strongest predictive variable of online information seeking.

Originality/value

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The findings of this study suggest that an important task for professional health organisations is to educate nurses in assessing the reliability of medical information found on the web, such as looking for credible institutional sites, verifying available information with that from other sources or sites, and using common sense.

Keywords

Citation

Lu, H., Andrews, J.E., Hou, H., Chen, S., Tu, Y. and Yu, Y. (2008), "Factors affecting online research by nurses in Taiwan", Online Information Review, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 574-584. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520810913972

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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