IMPACT OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION ON DPT AND OTD STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE IN USA AND CHINA

K. Mu¹, M. Schumacher², A. Patterson³, Y. Qi⁴

¹Creighton University, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, Department of Occupational Therapy, Omaha, United States, ²Creighton University, Department of Physical Therapy, Omaha, United States, ³Creighton University, Department of Occupational Therapy, Omaha, United States, ⁴Creighton University, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions and Department of Occupational Therapy, Omaha, United States

Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) integrates the best evidence from research, clinician expertise, and patient preferences and values to deliver the highest quality of care to improve patient outcomes. Physical Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) students again exposure to evidence based practice (EBP)through both didactic and experiential learning. The differences in cultural, educational systems, and student learning styles between the United States and China may lead to different students’ perceptions and attitudes towards EBP.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate and compare physical therapy and occupational therapy students' attitudes towards evidence based practice in the US and China as well as the impact of professional education on students' attitudes.

Methods: Using the Evidence-Based Practice Process Assessment Scale (EBPPAS), the investigators examined doctoral physical therapy and occupational therapy students' attitudes toward evidence based practice enrolled in three universities in the US and four universities in China. A total of 1,062 students in US and a total of 1,017 students in China participated in the study. Students' overall attitudes and individual domain of EBP was compared between the U.S. and China. The impact of professional education on students' attitudes was also investigated.

Results: In general, all students showed a positive attitude towards EBP across the five domains. The U.S. DPT students had the highest mean score of 3.90 in the domain of “attitude about EBP”. Responses from both countries showed the highest scores in the domain of “attitude about EBP” followed by “familiarity with EBP” and “intention to engage in EBP”. In general, the U.S. students scored 0.44 (13.8%) higher than Chinese students in all domains combined.
Comparisons of overall and individual domain scores between the U.S. and Chinese students revealed that the U.S. students scored significantly higher than Chinese students.
The overall mean score increased non-significantly by 0.07 for the U.S. students from 1st year to 3rd year while it increased significantly by 0.15 (2nd year to 4th year in Chinese students.
Professional education improved familiarity with EBP for both US and Chinese students. It also improved students’ perceived feasibility of engagement in EBP but decreased students’ intention to engage in EBP for US students. However, it improved Chinese students’ attitude about EBP, intention to engage in EBP and frequency of engagement in EBP.

Conclusions: This study revealed that the U.S. physical therapy and occupational therapy students were more positive in evidence based practice. Professional education has important impact on students' attitudes toward evidence based practice, particularly among Chinese students. With increased professional education, while students become more familiar with evidence based practice and improve their intent to engage in evidence based practice, they become concerned with the feasibility of implementing evidence based practice. Professional education needs to address such concerns.

Implications: Physical therapy and occupational therapy students have positive attitudes toward evidence based practice. While it has significant impact on students' attitudes toward evidence based practice, professional education, however needs to address students' concerns on the feasibility of evidence based practice.

Funding acknowledgements: None

Keywords:
Professional Education
Evidene Based Practice
Across cultural

Topics:
Education
Professional issues
Research methodology, knowledge translation & implementation science

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Creighton University

Committee: IRB office of Creighton University

Ethics number: IRB number 963329-2