Teaching evidence-based practice to physiotherapy students in Italy: a cross sectional study

Area of Science:

• Physiotherapy Education
• Evidence-Based Practice Integration
• Higher Education Curriculum Analysis

Background:

• Evidence-based practice (EBP) adoption is growing in Italian physiotherapy, yet a clinical knowledge gap hinders its grassroots implementation.
• Undergraduate physiotherapy education plays a critical role in disseminating EBP concepts and foundational knowledge.
• This study addresses the need to understand the current state of EBP teaching within Italian Bachelor of Science physiotherapy programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of evidence-based practice (EBP) educational content in Italian Bachelor of Science physiotherapy degree programs.
• To identify regional variations and differences between public and private institutions regarding EBP curriculum inclusion.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted, analyzing EBP teaching characteristics in Italian physiotherapy Bachelor of Science degree courses.
• Data were collected from institutional websites between May 2021 and August 2022, adhering to STROBE guidelines.
• All 42 physiotherapy Bachelor of Science programs for the 2021-2022 academic year were included.

Main Results:

• Out of 42 programs, 14 (33.3%) did not report EBP content.
• EBP content prevalence varied regionally: Northern universities (88%), Central (66.6%), Southern (33.3%), and Islands (40%).
• Public universities (67.4%) were more likely to include EBP material than private institutions (60%).

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of evidence-based practice (EBP) content in Italian physiotherapy Bachelor of Science programs is suboptimal.
• Significant regional disparities and differences between public and private institutions in EBP education were observed.
• Findings suggest a need for increased investment in EBP teaching to enhance physiotherapy educational standards in Italy.