Date Presented 04/04/19
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a critical approach to healthcare that is widely spreading over many healthcare professions. However, studies conducted in the US found that 30 to 40% of patients do not receive care according to updated scientific evidence. The aim of this study is to identify OT and PT perceptions toward barriers to implement EBP.
Primary Author and Speaker: Hashem Abu Tariah
Additional Authors and Speakers: Turki Aljuhani
Contributing Authors: Mashael Alsogair, Alsaleh Alaa
PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify occupational and physical therapists’ perceptions toward barriers to implement evidence-based practice (EBP) in the hospital settings.
DESIGN: The study used a quantitative cross-sectional design. A total of 251 occupational and physical therapists from three major hospitals in Riyadh city in Saudi Arabia participated and answer the Barriers Questionnaire. Qualified occupational therapist (OT) or physical therapist (PT) with at least one year of experience, interact with the patient directly, and had a license from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties were included in the survey. Students and interns were excluded.
METHOD: A quantitative questionnaire was sent electronically to 251 occupational and physical therapists from three hospitals in Riyadh city in Saudi Arabia were rehabilitation services is mostly provided. Achieving a response rate of 41.4%. The BARRIERS scale questionnaire was adapted in this study [2]. The scale contains four factors with a total of 28 corresponding items. The four factors are:adopter, organization, innovation and communication. 4-point likert scale is used to report the perception of barrier/swith a score of 1 meaning no extent; 2 to a little extent; 3 to a moderate extent; and 4 to a great extent [3].
RESULTS: The survey achieved a response rate of 41.4%. The most problematic factor was the communication factor. The items relating to time were perceived as the top two barriers. There was a significant difference in the communication factor between age and year of experience categories. The therapists who had 11-20 years of experience and the therapists who are between 31-40 years old perceived the communication factor more of a problem than the other groups.
CONCLUSION: Even though implementing EBP is highly encouraged and known to improve healthcare quality as well as patients’ outcome and professional satisfaction, therapists in this study perceived many barriers to implement EBP. The findings in this study are consistent with the findings of similar studies, which confirm that BARRIERS scale is suitable for use among occupational and physical therapists in Saudi Arabia.
IMPACT STATEMENT: This study provided valuable information about the barriers of using EBP in from practitioners’ perception. Additionally, this finding can impact the practice and improve the use of EBP by taking to account the barriers identified in the study.
References
Grol, R., & Wensing, M. (2004). What drives change? Barriers to and incentives for achieving evidence-based practice. The Medical Journal of Australia, 180(6), 57-60.
2. Brown, C. E., Wickline, M. A., Ecoff, L., & Glaser, D. (2009). Nursing practice, knowledge, attitudes and perceived barriers to evidence-based practice at an academic medical center. J Adv Nurs, 65(2), 371-381. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04878.x
3. Kajermo, K. N., Bostrom, A. M., Thompson, D. S., Hutchinson, A. M., Estabrooks, C. A., & Wallin, L. (2010). The BARRIERS scale -- the barriers to research utilization scale: A systematic review. Implement Sci, 5, 32. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-5-32
