title: Examining the associations among clinician demographics, the factors involved in the implementation of evidence-based practice, and the access of clinicians to sources of information.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An important way of improving healthcare services is through the implementation of evidence-based practice; but this requires an understanding of the extent to which it is occurring and the factors that are driving its implementation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the associations among the demographics of clinicians, the factors involved in the implementation of evidence-based practice, and the access of clinicians to various sources of information.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online survey that was distributed to 300 Canadian prosthetic and orthotic clinicians. Associations of selected survey items were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four primary associations were found and a further 18 were considered to be indicative of potential trends. Two of the primary associations were related to authorship and the utilization of scientific literature. Specifically, those clinicians who had previously authored or co-authored a peer-reviewed journal article were more likely to utilize scientific literature to guide their clinical practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has highlighted important demographics which can be targeted for greater implementation of evidence-based practice. Above all, facilitating engagement of clinicians in research and its dissemination may promote a higher consumption of research evidence leading to improved evidence-based practice.
authors.affiliation: Kawartha Regional Orthopedic Specialists, Peterborough, Canada.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andrysek
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D003710:Demography; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009989:Orthotic Devices / Q000639:trends*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000639:trends*