title: Attitudes of mental health occupational therapists toward evidence-based practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence-based practice is an important driver in modern health care and has become a priority in mental health occupational therapy in recent years.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to measure the attitudes of a cohort of mental health occupational therapists toward evidence-based practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one mental health occupational therapists were surveyed using the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS). Mann-Whitney U tests and Spearman's rho were used to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The occupational therapy respondents had generally positive attitudes toward evidence-based practices comparable to established norms. Respondents with further qualifications beyond their professional degree were significantly more likely to try new interventions (p = .31). Significant negative correlations were found also for the subscales of Appeal and Openness in relation to years of occupational therapy practice (rho = -.354, p = .023; rho = -.344, p = 0.28) and mental health experience (rho = -.390, p = 0.12; rho = -.386, p = .013).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therapist factors can significantly impact attitudes toward evidence-based practice.
authors.forename: Danielle P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Hitch
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D015331:Cohort Studies; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D000067250:Psychiatric Rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Allied health occupations; Attitude of health personnel; Evidence-based health care; Psychiatry