Physicians' Attitude Towards Evidence-Based Medical Practice and Health Science Library Services

Background and Objectives: It has been more than a decade since evidence-based medical practice (EBMP) became a top curriculum in medicine. Developing countries, however, have problems practicing EBM since it needs skills, time, and resources. Libraries and librarians can play a vital role in providing physicians with evidence-based information. This user study was directed at exploring physicians' attitudes towards EBMP, their awareness and practical knowledge in finding and evaluating evidence/information, and the implication of these findings for health science library services. Methodology: A survey method was adopted to carry out the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The target population was comprised of physicians and specialists from government and private hospitals in Hyderabad, India. One hundred twenty-four responses were received. MS Excel and SPSS software were used for statistical analyses. Results: The study revealed that physicians have positive attitudes toward EBMP. They also agree that EBMP is obligatory on the part of physicians-professionally, ethically, and legally. They indicated a high usage rate of print and electronic sources, which suggests that health science libraries should be equipped to support physicians in EBMP. Conclusion: This study concludes that efficient librarian information support services should be provided to physicians in order to enable them to practice evidence-based medicine.