The use and availability of occupational health information: results of a study

The aims of this study were to identify requirements for occupational health information and ways in which the provi-sion of, and access to, such information could be improved in the United Kingdom. Structured interviews with professional staff working in several occupational health professions and with general practi-tioners were used to establish the pattern of information use and to elicit views on information provision. Literature searches were undertaken and some important organisations visited. Respondents preferred to ask for information rather than seek it in publications but sometimes they did not know where to ask. About two thirds of the occupational ’health staff worked in organisations with libraries. Reading primary jour-nals was the main way in which respondents kept up to date. Use of abstracting publications, indexing publications and online services was low. There was little use of, or enthusiasm for, Prestel amongst the respondents. Toxicological information presented problems for many of the respondents. More effective information handling could be promoted by: inclusion of the use of information sources in basic and con-tinuing professional education, provision of guides to sources of information and improved alerting services