MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS’ INFORMATION COLLECTION SKILLS AND UTILIZATION OF PATIENTS HEALTH RECORDS IN TERTIARY HEALTH INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTH- SOUTH, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Information literacy skills is to read, write, speak and listen in a way that enable an individual communicate effectively and make sense of the world that will help in the establishment of information literate person. This study investigated medical professionals’ information collection skill and the utilization of patients’ health records in tertiary health institutions in south-South, Nigeria. The study employed the correlational research design. It was carried out in South-South zone of Nigeria. A total population of 8993 medical professionals comprising medical doctors, health information personnel, pharmacists, and nurses were used for the study. A sample size of 386 was obtained using the Krejcie and Morgan table. An instrument named ‘Questionnaire on Medical Professionals’ Information Collection Skill and Utilization Patients Health Records (MPICSUPHRQ) was used for the study. The researchers validated the instrument. Cronbach’s alpha method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. Data was collected with the permission from the Management of each of the teaching hospitals present in south- south used for the study and also two research assistants were employed to distribute the questionnaires Simple regression was used in answering research question and ANOVA was used to determine the relationship. The result showed that there is significant relationship in the utilization of patient health records and medical professional information Collection skills. Also, it was found that medical doctors, health information personnel’s, nurses and pharmacists do significantly use information Collection skill to a very great extent in the tertiary health institutions. The study concluded that information Collection skill significantly relates the utilization of patients’ health records by medical professionals of tertiary health institutions. This has demonstrated the relevance of information Collection skill in the health sector especially the tertiary health institutions in south south, Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that hospitals of tertiary health institutions should set up medical libraries for medical professionals to carry researches using patient health records.