Subjects
information literacy, medical education, nursing education, mixed methods, Bahrain, evidence-based practice, Gulf region
Document Type
Research Article
Abstract
Information literacy is essential for evidence-based medical education, yet Gulf-region studies rarely examine student competencies and barriers. This study examines the information literacy skills, attitudes, and challenges faced by medical and nursing students at RCSI Bahrain. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining a quantitative survey (n = 343) with qualitative focus groups (n = 10). Students reported high self-perceived information literacy across domains. Time constraints and information overload were identified as the primary barriers to effective communication. Focus group findings highlighted the late introduction of curricula, technical access challenges, and inequities between medical and nursing programs. Library training attendance, academic year, and barrier count were significant predictors of perceived competence. Confidence in information literacy coexists with structural and curricular barriers that restrict practical application. Early integration of information literacy, improved access systems, and discipline-specific instruction are recommended to enhance the use of information in medical education.
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/45001
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Altaf, A., Dsilva, S. N., Joseph, S. S., Mukhtar, F., Zeeshan, M., & Nair, B. (2026). Exploring Information Literacy Skills, Attitudes, and Barriers Among Medical and Nursing Students in Bahrain: A Mixed-Methods Perspective. Communications in Information Literacy, 20 (1), 47–78. Retrieved from https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/comminfolit/vol20/iss1/4