The purpose of this study is to analyze the semantic information search behavior of faculty members at Shahid Modarres Hospital in the PubMed database regarding COVID-19, based on Ingwersen’s model. This applied study employed a quantitative approach using a descriptive-analytical survey method. The statistical population consisted of faculty members at Shahid Modarres Hospital. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed utilizing SPSS software (version 25). 52% of respondents are satisfied with automatic keyword suggestions in PubMed. 67% agree with using the MeSH main topics filter, but only 44% use MeSH subheadings as a more precise tool for semantic searching. The PICO tool has a weak position in users' search behavior, with only 35.2% agreement. Nearly 60% emphasize the role of synonyms in enriching search. 68.6% find suggested keywords useful as a tool for developing their semantic search, and 79.6% recognize abstracts as the key to assessing the relevance of results. Moreover, there are significant differences in semantic search behavior based on academic rank, years of service, and specialty vs. subspecialty status. The difference based on gender is not significant.
In addition to the features of the retrieval system, user search behavior is influenced by individual cognitive factors as well as social and organizational contexts. Therefore, enhancing training on advanced search skills and familiarity with PubMed’s conceptual tools can improve the quality of semantic searches, increase retrieval efficiency, and more effectively support scientific and clinical decision-making.