[
    {
        "id": "osp-10849",
        "type": "article-journal",
        "title": "Attitudes of Saudi Arabian Undergraduate Medical Students towards Health Research",
        "author": [
            {
                "family": "Al-Hilali",
                "given": "Sara M."
            },
            {
                "family": "Al-Kahtani",
                "given": "Eman"
            },
            {
                "family": "Khandekar",
                "given": "Babar"
            },
            {
                "family": "Rajiv",
                "given": ""
            },
            {
                "family": "Al-Shahri",
                "given": "Abdullah"
            },
            {
                "family": "Edward",
                "given": "Deepak P."
            }
        ],
        "URL": "https://omanscience.com/en/articles/attitudes-of-saudi-arabian-undergraduate-medical-students-towards-health-research",
        "language": "en",
        "issued": {
            "date-parts": [
                [
                    2025
                ]
            ]
        },
        "container-title": "Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal",
        "volume": "16",
        "issue": "1",
        "page": "68-73",
        "DOI": "10.18295/squmj.2016.16.01.012",
        "publisher": "Sultan Qaboos University",
        "ISSN": "2075-051X",
        "abstract": "Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate attitudes, perceptions and perceived barriers towards health research among Saudi Arabian undergraduate medical students. Methods: This cross-sectional study took place between August and October 2014 and included 520 students from five medical schools across Saudi Arabia. An anonymous online survey with 21 close-ended questions was designed to assess students’ attitudes towards research, contribution to research-related activities, awareness of the importance of research, perception of available resources/opportunities for research, appreciation of medical students’ research contributions and perceived barriers to research. Responses were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 401 students participated in the study (response rate: 77.1%). Of these, 278 (69.3%) were female. A positive attitude towards research was reported by 43.9% of the students. No statistically significant differences were observed between genders with regards to attitudes towards and available resources for research (P = 0.500 and 0.200, respectively). Clinical students had a significantly more positive attitude towards research compared to preclinical students (P = 0.007). Only 26.4% of the respondents believed that they had adequate resources/opportunities for research. According to the students, perceived barriers to undertaking research included time constraints (n = 200; 49.9%), lack of research mentors (n = 95; 23.7%), lack of formal research methodology training (n = 170; 42.4%) and difficulties in conducting literature searches (n = 145; 36.2%). Conclusion:Less than half of the surveyed Saudi Arabian medical students had a positive attitude towards health research. Medical education policies should aim to counteract the barriers identified in this study."
    }
]