title: Medical students' knowledge and perceptions of e-health: results of a study in Sri Lanka.
abstract: The present study investigates the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of medical students in Sri Lanka in regard to e-health. We also examined the barriers which impede them to develop knowledge and skills in e-health within their medical curriculum. A questionnaire focusing on the knowledge, attitudes and expectations of medical students towards e-health was distributed to all final year students (n=136) at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Sri Jayewardenepura University, Sri Lanka. Response rate was 74%. 43% of respondents stated that they were familiar with the term e-health. 51% rated their knowledge of e-health applications as minimal. 88% admitted that they had no e-health education or training of any kind. Over 80% of all respondents thought that e-health had an important role to play in the current and future health sector, particularly in developing countries. Our survey revealed that respondents had very poor access to computers and Internet use was rare. 77% of respondents admitted that they were not provided with systematic knowledge and skills in e-health through their medical curriculum and identified the absence of formal education in e-health as a serious shortcoming.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Online Health, University of Queensland, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston, Australia. s.edirippulige@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Sisira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edirippulige
authors.forename: Rohana B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Marasinghe
authors.forename: Anthony C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.forename: Walisundara B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Herath
authors.forename: M T M
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Jiffry
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wootton
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D003201:Computers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D017216:Telemedicine