Where Do Physiotherapists Search for Information? Barriers in Translating Scientific Information Into Clinical Practice

Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions (04/12/23) Nunes, Guilherme S.; Guterres, Brenda D.; Machado, Anna Carolina O.; et al.

A recent survey explored the preferred sources of information for acquiring physiotherapy knowledge and the association between those sources and obstacles in implementing evidence-based practice (EBP). Researchers polled 610 physiotherapists, nearly a third of whom (31%) listed scientific resources as their preferred information source. Another 31% preferred scientific databases and 25% favored scientific articles. Problems in obtaining full-text articles was the biggest obstacle in EBP implementation for 34% of those surveyed, while a lack of statistical knowledge was the primary barrier for 30%. The authors noted an association between the use of peer-reviewed resources as the most preferable information source and issues in understanding scientific information. "The importance of scientific information seems to be a well-established attitude among physiotherapists," they acknowledged. "However, there is a clear need for strategies aiming to improve the understanding of scientific information and consequently facilitate EBP implementation."

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