Attitudes, perceptions and barriers around evidence-based practice in sports physiotherapy in Kenya

Background: Healthcare practitioners are required to integrate clinical experience with the best research evidence for the benefit of the patient. Objective: Determine the attitudes, perceptions and barriers regarding evidence-based practice (EBP) in sports physiotherapy in Kenya. Method: A quanti...

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Main Authors: Thomas K. Mwololo, Benita Oliver, Wallace M. Karuguti, Joseph M. Matheri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2021-08-01
Series:South African Journal of Physiotherapy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1561
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author Thomas K. Mwololo
Benita Oliver
Wallace M. Karuguti
Joseph M. Matheri
author_facet Thomas K. Mwololo
Benita Oliver
Wallace M. Karuguti
Joseph M. Matheri
author_sort Thomas K. Mwololo
collection DOAJ
description Background: Healthcare practitioners are required to integrate clinical experience with the best research evidence for the benefit of the patient. Objective: Determine the attitudes, perceptions and barriers regarding evidence-based practice (EBP) in sports physiotherapy in Kenya. Method: A quantitative crosssectional study was conducted among licensed physiotherapists in the Republic of Kenya through a self-administered questionnaire. Associations between selected sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, training, experience, specialisation) and attitudes, perceptions and barriers were determined using a Chi-square test. Results: A 55.9% (n = 391) response rate was recorded. A positive attitude towards EBP was reported by 94.6% (n = 370) of the respondents. The most obvious areas of agreement with attitude-and perception-related statements were that ‘EBP is important in that patients can receive the best possible treatment’ (95.9%; n = 375), and that it is important that ‘evidence-based guidelines related to work exist’ (84.6%; n = 331). There were no significant associations between the demographic characteristics (gender p = 0.104 [X2 = 2.638;1]; age p = 0.495 [X2 = 2.393;3]; training p = 0.590 [X2 = 4.644;6]; experience p = 0.980 [X2 = 0.426;4] and specialisation p = 0.649 [X2= 0.207;1]); and attitudes and perceptions regarding EBP. Insufficient time was highlighted by 57.8% (n = 226) of the respondents as one of the ‘most important barriers’. Conclusion: Although physiotherapists presented with strong positive attitudes towards EBP in sports physiotherapy, barriers were identified which could hinder the implementation of EBP in sports physiotherapy. Clinical implications: Barriers to applying EBP in sports physiotherapy may lead to inferior quality of care for athletes while addressing these barriers is crucial.
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spelling doaj.art-894f37c62b6743cfa89ff5752aeb84bd2022-12-22T03:25:22ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Physiotherapy0379-61752410-82192021-08-01771e1e810.4102/sajp.v77i1.15611349Attitudes, perceptions and barriers around evidence-based practice in sports physiotherapy in KenyaThomas K. Mwololo0Benita Oliver1Wallace M. Karuguti2Joseph M. Matheri3Department of Physiotherapy, School of Medicine, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, NairobiDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Medicine, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, NairobiDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Medicine, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, NairobiBackground: Healthcare practitioners are required to integrate clinical experience with the best research evidence for the benefit of the patient. Objective: Determine the attitudes, perceptions and barriers regarding evidence-based practice (EBP) in sports physiotherapy in Kenya. Method: A quantitative crosssectional study was conducted among licensed physiotherapists in the Republic of Kenya through a self-administered questionnaire. Associations between selected sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, training, experience, specialisation) and attitudes, perceptions and barriers were determined using a Chi-square test. Results: A 55.9% (n = 391) response rate was recorded. A positive attitude towards EBP was reported by 94.6% (n = 370) of the respondents. The most obvious areas of agreement with attitude-and perception-related statements were that ‘EBP is important in that patients can receive the best possible treatment’ (95.9%; n = 375), and that it is important that ‘evidence-based guidelines related to work exist’ (84.6%; n = 331). There were no significant associations between the demographic characteristics (gender p = 0.104 [X2 = 2.638;1]; age p = 0.495 [X2 = 2.393;3]; training p = 0.590 [X2 = 4.644;6]; experience p = 0.980 [X2 = 0.426;4] and specialisation p = 0.649 [X2= 0.207;1]); and attitudes and perceptions regarding EBP. Insufficient time was highlighted by 57.8% (n = 226) of the respondents as one of the ‘most important barriers’. Conclusion: Although physiotherapists presented with strong positive attitudes towards EBP in sports physiotherapy, barriers were identified which could hinder the implementation of EBP in sports physiotherapy. Clinical implications: Barriers to applying EBP in sports physiotherapy may lead to inferior quality of care for athletes while addressing these barriers is crucial.https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1561evidence-based practicestandardssports physiotherapykenyaattitudeperceptions, ebp
spellingShingle Thomas K. Mwololo
Benita Oliver
Wallace M. Karuguti
Joseph M. Matheri
Attitudes, perceptions and barriers around evidence-based practice in sports physiotherapy in Kenya
South African Journal of Physiotherapy
evidence-based practice
standards
sports physiotherapy
kenya
attitude
perceptions, ebp
title Attitudes, perceptions and barriers around evidence-based practice in sports physiotherapy in Kenya
title_full Attitudes, perceptions and barriers around evidence-based practice in sports physiotherapy in Kenya
title_fullStr Attitudes, perceptions and barriers around evidence-based practice in sports physiotherapy in Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Attitudes, perceptions and barriers around evidence-based practice in sports physiotherapy in Kenya
title_short Attitudes, perceptions and barriers around evidence-based practice in sports physiotherapy in Kenya
title_sort attitudes perceptions and barriers around evidence based practice in sports physiotherapy in kenya
topic evidence-based practice
standards
sports physiotherapy
kenya
attitude
perceptions, ebp
url https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1561
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AT wallacemkaruguti attitudesperceptionsandbarriersaroundevidencebasedpracticeinsportsphysiotherapyinkenya
AT josephmmatheri attitudesperceptionsandbarriersaroundevidencebasedpracticeinsportsphysiotherapyinkenya