Learning from research on the information behaviour of healthcare professionals: a review of the literature 2004-2008 with a focus on emotion.
OBJECTIVE
A review, focusing on emotion, was conducted of reported studies on the information behaviour of healthcare professionals (2004-2008). Findings were intended to offer guidelines on information services and information literacy training, to note gaps in research and to raise research interest.


METHODS
Databases were searched for literature published from January 2004 to December 2008 and indexed on eric, Library and Information Science Abstracts, medline, PsycINFO, Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition; Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts; Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection; Social Work Abstracts; SocINDEX with Full Text; SPORTDiscus; cinhal; and the ISI Web of Knowledge databases. Key journals were manually scanned and citations followed. Literature was included if reporting on issues concerning emotion.


RESULTS
Emotion in information behaviour in healthcare contexts is scantily addressed. This review, however, offers some insight into the difficulty in identifying and expressing information needs; sense making and the need to fill knowledge gaps; uncertainty; personality and coping skills; motivation to seeking information; emotional experiences during information seeking; self-confidence and attitude; emotional factors in the selection of information channels; and seeking information for psychological or emotional reasons.


CONCLUSIONS
Suggestions following findings, address information literacy programs, information services and research gaps.
Fourie
Ina
I
Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa. ina.fourie@up.ac.za
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003200:Computer User Training / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D007999:Library Services; D011361:Professional Competence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design