Investigating information literacy at public health institutes at the national health laboratory services

Abstract

Information Literacy (IL) is the ability to perceive the requirement for information, search and find, assess to establish relevance, and to use information effectively. Information literacy is considered a crucial skill in the working environment since it provides a great advantage in competition, well-informed decision-making derived from evidence-based information rather than politics and improved organisational service and productivity. This research aims to explore the current level of IL of scientists working at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) under two institutes: the National Institute for Communicable Disease (NICD) and the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH). With the objective of identifying scientists’ opinions on the significance of IL, assessing the usage of information resources by scientists, discovering the information needs of scientists, and exploring the correlations between the demographic variables and scientists’ perceived Information Literacy Self-Efficacy (ILSE). The research adopted a quantitative cross-sectional approach and employed a survey method. The Census technique was employed with 118 scientists who made up the whole population of the research. Therefore, the whole population was invited to participate in the survey and 68 questionnaires were properly filled and submitted successfully which achieved a 58% response rate. The data collected was coded and analysed using the SPSS software. The outcome indicated that the vast majority of scientists have received training in IL and they were self-assured and knowledgeable in their ability to perceive the requirement for information, search and find, assess, interpret, and use information effectively. The lowest information literacy skills were reported in locating and accessing the resources. The majority of scientists preferred websites or the internet as their source of information. The majority of scientists rated information literacy as a very important skill that is of importance within the workplace. The regression analysis demonstrated that qualification level is the greater predictor of Information Literacy Self-Efficacy (ILSE) amongst scientists, followed by the level of IL instruction received. The study suggests that a favourable atmosphere for exchanging professional knowledge be created, as well as an IL programme tailored to scientists to enhance evidence-based practice. The outcomes of this research are beneficial for policymakers at the NHLS. These findings are particularly significant for information officers working in academic institutions who are developing need-based IL programs for staff members.