Information-seeking behaviour and use of the Internet by French general practitioners: a qualitative study.
BACKGROUND
Numerous studies deal with the use of computers and the Internet in the health sector. Most of these studies show an increase in the use of the new technologies in searching for medical information-particularly by patients--but these uses remain very heterogeneous and depend on the studies.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this work was to consider the use of computers by French general practitioners (GPs) and to analyse the impact that computerization could have on their information-seeking behaviour.


METHODS
The nature of the approach used is qualitative using interviews.


RESULTS
Most of the GPs interviewed are equipped with a computer. The policies of the government were supposed to give financial incentives for GPs to start using computers for the management of administrative procedures, but many physicians do not know how to use the new tools properly. Their computers are, in most cases, underused for searching for medical information. Most of the time, the Internet sources are thought to be unreliable.


CONCLUSIONS
This study sheds light on the use of computers and the preferences of GPs in searching for medical information.
Boissin
Florence Gonod
FG
Ursidoc Docsi, Claude Bernard University, Lyon, France. boissin@enssib.fr
D000328:Adult; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires