Evaluation of the Evidence-Based practice Attitude and utilization SurvEy for complementary and alternative medicine practitioners

Abstract

Rationale: This paper describes the development of the Evidence-Based practice Attitude and utilization SurvEy (EBASE), which was designed to measure complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioner attitude to and utilization of evidence-based practice (EBP). Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the EBASE as a measure of CAM practitioner skill, attitude and use of EBP in order to adequately inform clinicians and researchers about this comprehensive survey tool. Methods: EBASE and the clinical effectiveness and EBP questionnaire (EBPQ) were distributed to nine experts in CAM education, research, questionnaire design and/or EBP. Responses to these questionnaires were used to evaluate the content validity, convergent validity, test-retest reliability and internal consistency of EBASE. Results: EBASE has found to have good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.84) and acceptable test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.578-0.986). The instrument also demonstrated good content validity (CVI = 0.899), and adequately measured practitioner skill and utilization of EBP when compared to the EBPQ. Conclusion: The current study supports the validity and reliability of EBASE as a measure of CAM practitioner skill, attitude, experience and training in, as well as barriers and facilitating factors of EBP. © 2008 The Authors.