Abstract
M.Tech. (Chiropractic)
Background: As of now there is little to no knowledge on the level of utilization, skills, and attitudes of evidence-based practice by chiropractors in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Aim: The aim of this study is to identify what the level of utilization is, what skills level there is, and what attitudes chiropractors in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal as well as other factors that may hinder or aid these things. Method: This was an exploratory and quantitative study in the form of a survey that used an online medium to be distributed and completed. The survey was facilitated using google forms. This survey consisted of 7 different parts from part A to part G. The Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa provided the distribution of the survey by means of a bulk email to those participants who were qualified chiropractors and registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa. Procedure: There was a bulk mail sent from the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa that had a link to a google forms which is where the participants had been presented with an information letter, then a consent form, the survey and finally a page where they could claim continuing profession education points from. Results: The results showed that EBP was seen as very necessary in the chiropractic profession with a total of 52.6% strongly agreeing to it being necessary. The same number of participants had identified that they are interested in learning more about EBP and most significantly Part A received only 1 question that had a number greater than 0% (n=0) for strongly disagreed. The results identified that majority of the participants had a moderate level of skills in EBP. It was seen that on the scale of 1-5 the mean value never exceeded 4, it had a lowest value that was 2.21 and majority of the mean values were withing 3-4. The level of education in EBP had shown that 47.4% (n=9) of the participants had a lot of EBP knowledge that was learnt as a major part of their chiropractic education. It identified that the percentage of practise that participants conduct EBP was seen as a moderate level of 51%-75% by 47.4% (n=9) of the participants. 26.3% (n=5) participants, which was the highest value, identified that the most important source of EBP was published clinical evidence. The barriers of EBP were also seen to be very positive in that the mean values of the scale...