Evidence-Based Practices in Respiratory Therapy: Knowledge, Practice, and Barriers

Background: The use of evidence-based practice (EBP) has been shown to improve patient outcomes, increase resource utilization, and be cost-effective. However, there is often a lack of knowledge and expertise in the use of EBP, and there are concerns about the lack of implementation and reinforcement of these practices. The study aims to investigate the current levels of awareness, understanding, beliefs, attitudes, skills, and utilization of EBP among respiratory therapists (RTs) in select countries, namely the Middle-East countries, India, and the Philippines. Methods: The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board, and investigated EBP awareness, understanding, attitudes, skills, and utilization among RTs. An online survey was conducted from October 2022 to March 2023, with 560 valid responses analyzed. We assessed the 8 sources of professional information utilized by RTs using a 5-point Likert scale. Results: A significant majority (67.9%) of RTs acknowledged the role of EBP in enhancing patient care. However, 56.6% expressed neutrality regarding the impact of research findings on daily practice. Key barriers to EBP implementation included difficulty in formulating clinical questions (61.5%), time constraints (60.8%), and limited access to evidence (55.4%). RTs primarily used online databases (64.5%) and web portals (58.4%) for professional information. ProQuest (22.9%) and the Cochrane Library (22.3%) were the most frequently accessed databases. Younger RTs and those with higher academic qualifications exhibited greater engagement with EBP. Significant associations were found between EBP knowledge and demographic variables such as age (P = .03), qualification (P = .006), and experience (P = .02). Conclusions: While RTs recognize the importance of EBP, many remain uncertain about its practical impact, highlighting a need for clearer demonstration of research applicability. Younger and more educated RTs are more engaged with EBP, emphasizing the role of education in promoting EBP skills. Addressing barriers such as time constraints and evidence access through targeted interventions is essential for fostering a culture of evidence-based care in respiratory therapy.Perceived barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice.Attitude towards Implementation of EBP (A), and motivation for accessing (B) EBP retrieval database among RTs