Chiropractic Attitudes and Utilization of Evidence-Based Practice: The Use of the EBASE Questionnaire.

AIM: To examine the attitudes and utilization of evidence-based practice by chiropractors.

METHODS: Utilizing a descriptive survey implemented as an online questionnaire, we examined chiropractors׳ perception, skills, and level of training, their engagement in, the barriers and facilitators to, and possible interventions to evidence-based practice.

RESULTS: A total of 162 of 500 chiropractors completed the survey, providing a response rate of 32.4%. The majority of respondents were 30-39 years old, female, and worked in solo practice. A high proportion agreed/strongly agreed that evidence-based practice was necessary in the practice of chiropractic. Most respondents considered themselves to have above-average skills in locating professional literature, identifying answerable clinical questions, and identifying knowledge gaps in practice. However, many indicated receiving either no training or minimal education for conducting clinical research and systematic reviews and meta-analyses Most respondents had read or reviewed one to five professional articles and/or clinical research reports pertinent to their practice in the preceding month. Identified minor to moderate barriers to evidence-based practice were lack of time and lack of clinical evidence. Activities "very useful" in participating in evidence-based practice were access to free online databases and the ability to download full-text journal articles.

CONCLUSIONS: The responders of our survey embraced and considered themselves skillful in evidence-based practice. They utilized a number of resources to practice in such a manner and were not deterred by identified barriers. We support continued research in this field.