Information Seeking Behaviour of Traditional Medicine Practitioners in Enugu State

This study investigated the information-seeking behaviour of traditional medicine practitioners in Enugu State, South East Nigeria. Traditional medicine constitutes a significant component of healthcare in many Nigerian communities, and the information behaviours of its practitioners have implications for both the safety and evolution of traditional health practice. A descriptive survey design was employed, and data were collected from 150 registered traditional medicine practitioners in Enugu and three other local government areas through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The study found that practitioners relied predominantly on generational transmission and personal experience as their primary information sources. Formal library services and published literature were rarely used, in part due to limited literacy and the absence of documentation in local languages. Practitioners expressed interest in written and audio-visual guides on plant identification and dosage prepared in Igbo. The study recommended that health information services develop indigenous medicine information resources in local languages and extend library outreach to traditional healers through community health liaison networks. Keywords: information-seeking behaviour, traditional medicine, Enugu State, indigenous health, community information.