Evidence-based practice in undergraduate physiotherapy programs in Brazil: A cross-sectional document analysis study

Area of Science:

• Physiotherapy Education
• Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)
• Curriculum Analysis

Background:

• Integrating evidence-based practice (EBP) is crucial for safe and effective physiotherapy services.
• Early exposure to EBP in university programs is essential for professional development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map and analyze the availability and characteristics of EBP courses in Brazilian undergraduate physiotherapy programs.
• To assess the regional and institutional distribution of EBP education.

Main Methods:

• Web-based document analysis of physiotherapy program curricula in Brazil.
• Descriptive analysis of course syllabi and frequency of EBP content.
• Examination of EBP course distribution across regions and institution types (public vs. private).

Main Results:

• Only 9.4% of 809 analyzed curricula included EBP courses, with a mean duration of 44.3 hours.
• The North region showed a proportionally higher number of EBP courses.
• Public institutions (15.6%) were more likely to offer EBP content than private ones (8.9%).
• Critical appraisal was the most frequently covered EBP step in available syllabi.

Conclusions:

• A significant gap exists in EBP education within Brazilian physiotherapy undergraduate programs.
• The observed imbalance in EBP skill emphasis, particularly on critical appraisal, requires attention.
• Re-evaluation of physiotherapy curricula is necessary to integrate comprehensive EBP training and enhance future clinical practice.