Enhancing evidence-based practice in population health: staff views, barriers and strategies for change.

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine barriers and enablers for evidence-based practice (EBP) in population health and potential strategies for change. DESIGN: Self-administered survey of 104 professional staff (response rate, 73%) in the Division of Population Health, South Western Sydney Area Health Service in NSW serving a disadvantaged urban population. MAIN RESULTS: Most respondents (80%) "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that EBP would improve the effectiveness of their efforts in a disadvantaged region. However, more than half of respondents (56%) "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that there is lack of evidence for interventions in population health. Eighty two per cent of respondents "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that training in EBP is important for all population health workers. Those who used evidence also needed a greater capacity to discriminate "good" from "bad" research (85% in agreement). Contradictory policy was cited by one third of respondents as acting against EBP.