Determining where physical therapists get information to support clinical practice decisions

OBJECTIVE: To determine the information sources utilised by physical therapists (PTs) to support clinical decisions. METHODS: Physical therapists in the United States were invited via professional listservs and electronic newsletters to participate in an online survey. RESULTS: Journal articles were the most frequently utilised source of information, followed by databases (PubMed was most frequent). The frequency of utilising evidence-based resources was not significantly affected by the number of years of experience as a physical therapist (PT), working in a state that allows direct access to PT services or doctoral vs masters/bachelors degree. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with a previous study (1994), there has been a transition in physical therapy information seeking, with greater reliance on evidence-based information.