Journal provision and the prevalence of journal clubs: a survey of physiotherapy departments in England and Australia.
OBJECTIVE
Evidence-based journal clubs can promote evidence-based practice and continuing professional development (CPD). Although studies have evaluated the impact of journal clubs in medical and nursing departments, there is little information concerning journal clubs or journal provision in physiotherapy departments. The present survey was conducted to address this deficit.


METHODS
A postal questionnaire, designed to ascertain the type and extent of journal provision, and prevalence and attributes of journal clubs in physiotherapy departments, was distributed to physiotherapy managers in 150 facilities in England and in south-east Australia. Sixty-two per cent of facilities approached in England and 55% of those approached in Australia responded to the survey.


RESULTS
The provision of journals in physiotherapy departments was limited, and alternative access to physiotherapy journals was generally poor. Certain facilities were innovative in providing additional journal literature for physiotherapy staff. Physiotherapy journal clubs existed in 42% of responding facilities in England and 18% of those surveyed in Australia. Several facilities provided alternative forms of journal review as part of in-service training. Relatively few journal clubs utilized a 'problem-based' format, which fosters the teaching of critical appraisal skills. Evidence of enthusiasm emerged in some facilities, but in contrast, barriers and a degree of apathy were also revealed in others.


CONCLUSIONS
Physiotherapy managers, hospital administrators and academic institutions should jointly agree a strategy to both promote evidence-based journal clubs and to facilitate journal provision within physiotherapy departments.
Turner
P
P
School of Health, University of Teesside, UK.
Mjolne
I
I
D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017749:Total Quality Management; D006113:United Kingdom