What do Swedish physiotherapists feel about research? A survey of perceptions, attitudes, intentions and engagement

Abstract

Although the past decades have witnessed an increase in physiotherapy research, there remains a concern about the translation of research into clinical practice, a problem that to date has attracted relatively limited interest. The aim of the present study was to investigate perceptions and attitudes toward research, intentions to perform as well as actual engagement in research-related activities in a sample of Swedish physiotherapists. A cross-sectional design was used, and 343 Swedish physiotherapists responded to a postal questionnaire (representing a response rate of 61.7%). Questions about research-related activities were measured on a Likert-type scale, whereas questions referring to attitudes toward research used a semantic differential scale. The physiotherapists considered research as an important part of their professional role. Reading research literature was perceived as the most important research activity, and all mean attitude ratings were on the positive side of the scale. High workload and lack of time were the most commonly mentioned barriers to participation in research-related activities. Although Swedish physiotherapists read a large variety of journals, they most frequently read in their own language. The physiotherapists in this study were generally positive about research, which offers hope for an increased use of evidence-based practice in the future. In order to facilitate this development, easily accessible summaries could be provided. A cultural change within the profession, allowing more time for reading and discussing research reports should be encouraged.