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W. Moslem1, M. Almarwani2
1King Saud University, Health Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2King Saud University, Physical Therapy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) concept and awareness is growing with the increased number of conducted studies. EBP is widely used in making clinical decisions about patients’ care. EBP implementation was proved difficult. Understanding of attitudes, knowledge, and behavior related to EBP in physical therapy care is limited.
Purpose: This study aimed to examine Saudi PTs' behavior, attitudes, awareness, and knowledge about EBP, and the barriers of EBP implementation.
Methods: This was an electronic cross-sectional study. Data were collected through an electronic survey; The survey consisted of 11 closed-ended questions to examine Saudi PTs ' behaviors, attitudes, awareness, knowledge, and barriers towards EBP implementation.
Results: A total of 304 PTs responded to the invitation, and 183 PTs completed the survey. Forty-five percent of the PTs were with less than five years since licensure, more than 78% of them held a bachelor degree, and 40% had formal training in EBP.
The results of the study showed that PTs had a positive attitude towards the EBP . More than 75% of the PTs reported that;
(1) Reading relevant articles was essential for their practice,
(2) understanding research designs and methods was important in their practice,
(3) research theory and methodology should be included in the curriculum of physical therapy across universities in Saudi Arabia.
The PTs’ awareness about EBP terms were varied: more than 75% of the PTs were able to define the terms:
(1) ‘EBP’,
(2) ‘systematic review’,
(3) ‘health care database’, and 51.9 % were aware of the EBP cycle.
On the other hand, the terms such as confidence interval and forest plot term was selected by 32.4% and 13.7% of the PTs.
Regarding the PTs’ knowledge about EBP, 65.0% of the PTs acknowledged that the recognition of patients’ values. Less than 50% of PTs were aware that EBP implementation requires an extended period, and personal experiences were essential requirements for EBP implementation. Less than 25% of the PTs;
(1) correctly defined EBP,
(2) reported physical therapy interventions are mostly supported by evidence, and
(3) understand the aim of EBP.
Regarding the barriers of EBP implementation less than 30% of the PTs reported that:
(1) lack of research knowledge and skills,
(2) insufficient teaching in previous education,
(3) lack of support and encouragement,
(4) lack of time were identified as the barriers facing the PTs in practice.
The results of the study showed that PTs had a positive attitude towards the EBP . More than 75% of the PTs reported that;
(1) Reading relevant articles was essential for their practice,
(2) understanding research designs and methods was important in their practice,
(3) research theory and methodology should be included in the curriculum of physical therapy across universities in Saudi Arabia.
The PTs’ awareness about EBP terms were varied: more than 75% of the PTs were able to define the terms:
(1) ‘EBP’,
(2) ‘systematic review’,
(3) ‘health care database’, and 51.9 % were aware of the EBP cycle.
On the other hand, the terms such as confidence interval and forest plot term was selected by 32.4% and 13.7% of the PTs.
Regarding the PTs’ knowledge about EBP, 65.0% of the PTs acknowledged that the recognition of patients’ values. Less than 50% of PTs were aware that EBP implementation requires an extended period, and personal experiences were essential requirements for EBP implementation. Less than 25% of the PTs;
(1) correctly defined EBP,
(2) reported physical therapy interventions are mostly supported by evidence, and
(3) understand the aim of EBP.
Regarding the barriers of EBP implementation less than 30% of the PTs reported that:
(1) lack of research knowledge and skills,
(2) insufficient teaching in previous education,
(3) lack of support and encouragement,
(4) lack of time were identified as the barriers facing the PTs in practice.
Conclusion(s): Saudi PTs have a positive attitude towards EBP implementation and were concerned about learning the skills needed for the implementation of evidence-based in clinical practice. However, insufficient training in previous education, a lack of research skills, and lack of support and encouragement were some of the obstacles for the evidence-based implementation in practice.
Implications: Postgraduate EBP education is essential as undergraduate education for PTs to be able to implement EBP in practice.The educational system should be designed towards efficient use of online databases and critical appraisal, since appraising is the most challenging part. This may have a significant effect on the time required for a PTs to implement evidence-based in practice.
Funding, acknowledgements: none
Keywords: Evidence-based practice, Physical therapy, Barriers
Topic: Education: continuing professional development
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: King Saud University
Committee: Research Ethics Committee at King Saud University
Ethics number: (CAMS149-3839).
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
