Human Information Interaction

---

Background and Aim: Collaborative information behavior (CIB) is strongly affected by contextual factors and in different contexts we can see various aspects of collaborative information behavior. In this study, we investigate the triggers and barriers of collaborative information behavior in an educational-medical context in Iran.
Method: This qualitative research uses grounded theory as research method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty physicians (in Fellowship and Residency stages) in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science.
Results: the findings indicated that five main factors trigger collaborative information behavior, including lack of domain expertise, lack of time, information scatter, complexity of information needs and lack of immediately accessible information. The barriers that hinder collaborative information behavior in this context fell under five categories, technological, individual, team, educational structure and cultural barriers. Some of these triggers and barriers have identified in previous researches in different contexts.
Conclusion: the results of this study showed that Lack of time was strongest trigger of CIB in physicians (in fellowship and residency stages). Then complexity of information needs, lack of domain expertise, information scatter and lack of immediately accessible information were the triggers that identified in this study. Also barriers that identified in this context are so important. In order to promoting CIB in this context the barriers should be analysed and resolved.

---

Background and Aim: Health Information Prescription (HIP) means delivering right information to the right person at the right time. The present study was performed to determine the effect of HIP on caregivers' self-care ability.
Materials and methods: In order to evaluate the effect of HIP on caregivers' self-care ability the quasi-experimental study was carried out on 37 caregivers. Data collection was conducted using a checklist for evaluation of self-care ability. According to the checklist, the caregivers' information including four main domains (total knowledge about JHMS, attention to the effects of JHMS, the effective treatment activities and the quest of medical services) was scored based on a 5-point Likert scale. HIP services were then delivered. The caregivers' information was evaluated once again through the checklist and the pre and post intervention results were compared.
Finding: This study showed that the mean score of self-care ability in each of four domains including total knowledge about JHMS (p=0.001), attention to the effects of JHMS (p=0.001), the effective treatment activities (p=0.001) and the quest of medical services (p=0.001) increased significantly after HIPS.
Conclusion: Results of this study indicated that HIP can increasingly improve the caregivers' self-care ability.
 

---

Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to measure the overlap of 4 local Persian search engines of Parsijoo, Yooz, Parseek, and Rismoun and to compare the capabilities of these engines in covering indexable web.
Methods: This was an applied and evaluative research. To collect data, a keyword-based method was used. First, the selected keywords were entered into the search engines and then a sample was extracted of the retrieved records. Finally, based on the existence or absence of these records in the search engines, the necessary data were gathered. Accordingly to analyze the data, inferential statistical methods were used.
Results: The relative overlap of the Parseek compared to that of Parsijoo and Parsijoo's one compared to Yooz was 26 percent on average and Parseek had the most recall. Rismoun had not any common records with the other investigated search engines. Three search engines (Parseekc, Parsijoo and Yooz retrieved 27 common records out of 225 recalled records; there was a significant difference between the relative overlap of the 4 search engines. Also, on average, Parseel, Parsigoo, Yooz and Rismoun covered respectively 38, 31, 26, and 6 percent of the indexable web. There was a significant difference between the coverage of the 4 search engines.
Conclusion: It seems that each search engine has a different indexing policy, and users need to search for more than one search engine to get comprehensive information about an issue. It can be predicted that by foraging in two search engines, Parseek and Parsijoo, one may access 70 percent of the indexable web.