Knowledge, attitudes, and barriers towards evidence-based practice among physiotherapists in Malaysia

Background: Recently, there has been an increased need for all healthcare disciplines to provide interventions that are effective and evidence based. This has led to more implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in clinical settings. Following this, research regarding EBP gained attention to determine its uptake into the physiotherapy profession. Although there are numerous studies to determine the attitudes and barriers of physiotherapists towards EBP, most of them were done in developed nations. As for Malaysia, little research has been carried out, much less among physiotherapists.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge, attitude, and barriers towards the implementation of EBP among physiotherapists in Malaysia.

Methods: A survey was conducted among the members of the Malaysian Physiotherapy Association and other practicing therapists in Malaysia. One hundred and two responses were collected throughout a span of 2 months.

Results: Respondents agreed that EBP is necessary to practice and that it helps in decision making as well as improving patient care. Eighty-one percent of the respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that they had received formal training in EBP. However, 61% of the respondents reported that strong evidence is lacking to support their interventions. Thirty percent of the respondents reported reading <2 articles per month, with 57% stating that they read two to five articles in a typical month. This study also found time constraints, limited access to search engines, and lack of generalizability of research evidence as the top three barriers to implementing EBP.

Conclusion: Physiotherapists in Malaysia had a positive attitude towards EBP and are inclined towards implementing evidence into their clinical practice. They are interested in attending courses to improve their knowledge and skills in EBP.