Research article

The propensity to adopt evidence-based practice among physical therapists

Patricia H Bridges¹ , Laura L Bierema² and Thomas Valentine³

¹  Division of Physical Therapy Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

²  School of Leadership and Lifelong Learning, College of Education, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

³  School of Leadership and Lifelong Learning, College of Education, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

author email corresponding author email

BMC Health Services Research 2007, 7:103doi:10.1186/1472-6963-7-103

Published:	5 July 2007

Abstract

Background

Many authors, as well as the American Physical Therapy Association, advocate that physical therapists adopt practice patterns based on research evidence, known as evidence-based practice (EBP). At the same time, physical therapists should be capable of integrating EBP within the day-to-day practice of physical therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which personal characteristics and the characteristics of the social system in the workplace influence the propensity of physical therapists to adopt EBP.

Methods

The study used a 69 item mailed self-completion questionnaire. The questionnaire had four major sections. The first three sections were each drawn from a different theoretical framework and from different authors' work. The instrument was developed to capture the propensity of physical therapists to adopt EBP, characteristics of the social system in the workplace of physical therapists, personal characteristics of physical therapists, and selected demographic variables of physical therapists. The eligible population consisted of 3,897 physical therapists licensed by the state of Georgia in the United States of America. A random sample of 1320 potential participants was drawn.

Results

939 questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 73%. 831 of the participants' questionnaires were useable and became the basis for the study. There was a moderate association between desire for learning (r = .36, r² = .13), highest degree held (r = .29, r² = .08), practicality (r = .27, r² = .07) and nonconformity (r = .24, r² = .06) and the propensity to adopt EBP. A negative correlation was found between age, years licensed and percentage of time in direct patient care. The findings demonstrated that the best three variables for predicting the propensity to adopt EBP in physical therapy were: desire for learning, highest degree held, and practicality.

Conclusion

The study confirms there is no single factor to facilitate research evidence into day-to-day practice. Multiple practice change strategies will be needed to facilitate change in practice.