title: Evidence-based medicine use in pharmacy practice: a cross-sectional survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the awareness, attitude, knowledge and use of evidence-based medicine (EBM) among pharmacists in Jordan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional self-reported survey was conducted on 122 pharmacists (both hospital and community) who were asked to fill a validated structured questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants showed a positive attitude towards EBM; more than 80% thought that EBM improves patient care, improves quick knowledge update, helps to unify the quality of care provided, is a good educational tool and a convenient source of advice. But despite this positive attitude, pharmacists showed partial understanding of the technical terms used in EBM; also they relied on their own judgment, medical representatives and standard textbooks in making their decision, resources that can no longer be considered sufficiently updated and/or evidence based. Patient overload, lack of personal time and limited access to EBM sources were the most commonly identified barrier to practicing EBM. Also this study suggest that pharmacist's experience is negatively associated with EBM knowledge score (Spearman's rho value -0.187, P-value 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In spite of the positive attitude towards EBM, this study showed numerous personal and institutional barriers towards implementing EBM in Jordan, which necessitate immediate action by all health care decision makers to formulate a national plan to overcome such barriers, and to further investigate the evidence that teaching, learning and daily application of EBM in practice can improve the quality of care and reduce the cost.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abu Farha
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alefishat
authors.forename: Maysa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suyagh
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elayeh
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayyas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration; D010601:Pharmacology, Clinical / Q000193:education*; D011361:Professional Competence; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Jordan; attitude; awareness; evidence-based medicine; knowledge; pharmacy