Iranian Health Scholars Web-based Information Practice and Mediating Cultural, Economic, and Social-Political Factors

Health scholars have a pivotal role in health education, research and health development of a society. Their Web-based information practice and mediating factors affecting such interaction were investigated through a qualitative grounded-based theory approach. On a voluntary basis 23 faculty members from School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran were selected. One-round semi-structured interviews were conducted at the participants offices during December 2015 to March 2016. Interviews were transcribed, then carefully analyzed to identify categories and sub categories three themes. For credibility of data, the collected information were re-affirmed by the interviewees, coding stage was conducted initially by the first author, then checked and modified (where necessary) by the third and the second author also re-checked the process. Findings from administering an author-made post-interview questionnaire revealed the most important mediating factors for information practice of health scholars as: dysfunctioning education system (learning and teaching style), information privacy issues, and poor reading. When under inquiry scholars were asked about their status of Web information interaction during the past 7 years, 22% reported a [positive] behavioral change for the better toward scientific interaction, 48% [negative] toward recreational/social rather than scientific interaction, and 22% reported no tangible change in their nature/type of information interaction. Since students directly, and the society at large collectively will bear the brunt of obstructive or deterrent mediating factors on the way of information practice of health scholars, suitable and effective modification is recommended. It looks as if the governing system determines to help improve information interaction of played-out scholars, even at a premium, cultural, economic, social even political development will be on an accelerating rate.

کلیدواژه ها:

Information Practice ، Health Scholar ، Activity Theory ، Mediating Factor