title: Increasing utilization of Internet-based resources following efforts to promote evidence-based medicine: a national study in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since the beginning of 2007, the National Health Research Institutes has been promoting the dissemination of evidence-based medicine (EBM). The current study examined longitudinal trends of behaviors in how hospital-based physicians and nurses have searched for medical information during the spread of EBM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional postal questionnaire surveys were conducted in nationally representative regional hospitals of Taiwan thrice in 2007, 2009, and 2011. Demographic data were gathered concerning gender, age, working experience, teaching appointment, academic degree, and administrative position. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine predictors and changes over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from physicians and nurses were collected in 2007 (n = 1156), 2009 (n = 2975), and 2011 (n = 3999). There were significant increases in the use of four Internet-based resources - Web portals, online databases, electronic journals, and electronic books - across the three survey years among physicians and nurses (p < 0.001). Access to textbooks and printed journals, however, did not change over the 4-year study period. In addition, there were significant relationships between the usage of Internet-based resources and users' characteristics. Age and faculty position were important predictors in relation to the usage among physicians and nurses, while academic degree served as a critical factor among nurses only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians and nurses used a variety of sources to look for medical information. There was a steady increase in use of Internet-based resources during the diffusion period of EBM. The findings highlight the importance of the Internet as a prominent source of medical information for main healthcare professionals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Hao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Ken N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Chun-Yuh
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Heng-Lien
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Ya-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Chiehfeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ya-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013624:Taiwan