INFORMATION NEEDS AND INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF HEALTH WORKERS ON THE TREATMENT OF DIABETIC MELLITUS PATIENTS IN RURAL AREAS IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

The study investigates the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of clinical health workers for the treatment of diabetic mellitus patients in the rural areas in Benue state Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted for
the study. A total of four hundred and twenty-two (422) health workers with a sample of two hundred and six (206) clinical health workers from general hospitals in 23 Local Governments Areas in Benue state was used for the study. The questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard
deviation. A mean score cut-off point of 2.50 was used to determine a positive response. The
findings of the study revealed that Information on the care of patients with diabetics, information
on improvement of knowledge in clinical areas on diabetics, information on how to support lifelong learning, and information on occupational hazards, among others are the type of information needs of health workers for the treatment of diabetic mellitus patients in rural areas in Benue State. Often use of the Internet, medical journals, nursing colleagues, and consulting of
doctors’ colleagues, always use of medical libraries, and electronic databases like Cenahlete, amongst others are the channels of information provision for health workers for the treatment of
diabetic mellitus patients in rural areas in Benue State. Lack of internet access, inadequate training of medical practitioners in the use of information, lack of current resources in the medical libraries, inadequate research on user study to identify information needs of health
practitioners, and inadequate training of library and information professionals, are the
constraints affecting information needs and seeking behaviour of health workers for treatment of
diabetic mellitus patients in rural areas in Benue state. The study recommended that the
Information needs of health workers should be addressed to enable them to have access to
information that will aid them in the treatment of diabetic mellitus patients Channels of meeting
information needs of health workers for the treatment of diabetic mellitus disease should be
made available by government, health care centres, privates and well meaning individuals as
well as adequately equip with information resources to increase health workers access to
information for treatment of diabetic mellitus patients in rural areas. The government through
the Ministry of Health, health care centers, and other relevant stakeholders should address the
various constraints affecting information needs of health workers for the treatment of diabetic
mellitus patients in rural areas in Benue state.