Study of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice towards the Internet among BSc Students of School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

Background and purpose: The Internet is a useful tool for developing a variety of learning experiences and as a source of information and as a means of facilitated communication between students and teachers. The aim of this research was to investigate the level of knowledge, attitudes and practice of The Internet use among Bachelors’ degree students in Shahid Beheshti School of Health. Methods: The study was cross-sectional and conducted on 250 students. Data collected using a questionnaire based on demographic characteristics, as well as knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding the use of the Internet. Results: Majority of the students (77.1%) had poor knowledge about the Internet search, but most of them (92%) had positive attitudes towards using the Internet for learning. 52.4% of the respondents used the Internet for search related to their lessons less than 5 hours/week. The Internet usage and knowledge were significantly higher among male students. Conclusions: In spite of positive attitudes about the Internet use for improving the education process and facilitating research, students' knowledge about the Internet search was poor. It is recommended that mentioned skills training were included as a separate course in the curriculum of BSc Students’ program.  Keywords: THE INTERNET, PUBLIC HEALTH, INFORMATION , COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES