First-year family medicine residents' use of computers: knowledge, skills and attitudes.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the computer knowledge, skills and attitudes of first-year family medicine residents.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey of family medicine residents during the academic year 1993-94; sampling began in July 1993 and ended in October 1993.

SETTING

Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

All 727 first-year family medicine residents, of whom 433 (60%) responded.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Previous computer experience or training, current use, barriers to use, and comfort with and attitudes regarding computers.

RESULTS

There was no difference in age or sex between the respondents and all first-year family medicine residents in Canada. French-speaking respondents from Quebec were underrepresented (p < 0.001). Only 56 respondents (13%) felt extremely or very comfortable with computer use. The most commonly cited barriers to obtaining computer training were lack of time (243 respondents [56%]) and the high cost of computers (214 [49%]) but not lack of interest (69 [16%]). Most residents wanted more computer training (367 [85%]) and felt that computer training should be a mandatory component of family medicine training programs (308 [71%]).

CONCLUSIONS

Computer knowledge and skills and comfort with computer use appear low among first-year family medicine residents in Canada, and barriers to acquisition of computer knowledge are impressive. Computer training should become an integral part of family medicine training in Canada, and user-friendly applicable computer systems are needed.