Physicians' preferences for information sources: a meta-analytic study.

摘要: Identification of the resources physicians use to acquire information for clinical practice and medical research is an important area health sciences librarianship practice. During past twenty years several studies have addressed questions about physicians' preferences sources, but generalization from results these has been hampered by limited sampling, diverse methods, varied reportorial formats. Meta-analysis provides a method reducing limits. Using meta-analytic procedure, this study reviews twelve published between 1978 1992, categorizes ranks preferred sources reported in each study, then aggregates counts frequencies top six preferences, as well associated first second all populations or their strata. The indicate that prefer obtain journals books, also they often consult colleagues get answers questions. implications findings are briefly discussed.