The perceived attitudes, knowledge and barriers towards evidence-based practice (EBP) amongst physiotherapists in the United Republic of Tanzania

Abstract

There has recently been an increased pressure in all-healthcare disciplines to provide interventions that are scientific, safe, efficient and cost-effective. Evidence-based practice is said to be the current best approach to address these attributes. All healthcare professionals including physiotherapists need to adopt it. Numerous physiotherapy studies have been carried out to ascertain the attitudes towards, knowledge of, engagement in as well as the barriers of evidence-based practice. These studies were mostly carried out in the developed countries and almost none in the devloping African countries. By means of an exploratory cross-sectional study, deploying both quantitative and qualitative methods, this study investigated the Tanzanian physiotherapists attitudes towards the concept of evidence-absed practice. The study also examined the knowledge that they possess, that could enable them engage in evidence-based related activities. In addition, this study explored the barriers they experience while practicing evidence-based practice.