Chew Fiona, Grant William, Tote Rohit
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University, NY 13244-2100, USA.
Fam Med. 2004 Oct;36(9):645-50.
Family physicians must be aware of the latest and best evidence for a broad range of clinical and public health topics. The Internet is an important source of this information, but not all family physicians use the Internet. This study used "diffusion of innovations" theory to identify strategies for increasing Internet use by family physicians.
We conducted a mail survey of 58 family physicians in a midsized Northeastern metropolitan area in the United States to assess Internet use and identify sources from which physicians obtain medical information. We then used diffusion of innovations theory to describe the process by which physicians learn and develop skills at using the Internet.
Internet use begins when physicians are not constrained by a heavy patient volume and are able to learn about and observe the benefits of Internet use. When they experience its usefulness, their Internet browsing and searching develop and become more effortless and less time-consuming.
The innovation attributes of diffusion of innovations theory act as predictors of Internet use among family physicians. Internet use by family physicians might be increased by providing them time to learn about how to use it and to experience its benefits. Integration of continuing medical education courses created for the purpose of developing and enhancing Internet usage skills into their schedule may be a workable solution. Demographic factors such as gender and training recency have no influence on Internet use by family physicians.
家庭医生必须了解广泛的临床和公共卫生主题的最新及最佳证据。互联网是这类信息的一个重要来源，但并非所有家庭医生都使用互联网。本研究运用“创新扩散”理论来确定增加家庭医生互联网使用的策略。
我们对美国东北部一个中等规模大都市地区的58名家庭医生进行了邮件调查，以评估互联网使用情况，并确定医生获取医学信息的来源。然后，我们运用创新扩散理论来描述医生学习和培养互联网使用技能的过程。
当医生不受繁重患者量的限制，并且能够了解并观察到互联网使用的益处时，他们就开始使用互联网。当他们体验到其有用性时，他们的互联网浏览和搜索行为就会发展，变得更加轻松且耗时更少。
创新扩散理论的创新属性可作为家庭医生互联网使用情况的预测指标。为家庭医生提供时间来学习如何使用互联网并体验其益处，可能会增加他们对互联网的使用。将为培养和提高互联网使用技能而开设的继续医学教育课程纳入他们的日程安排，可能是一个可行方案。性别和最近培训情况等人口统计学因素对家庭医生的互联网使用没有影响。
