Background: Identification of factors that prevent implementation of an evidence-based practice may help the development of strategies to improve quality and effectiveness of interventions delivered to people with stroke. Objective: To identify the personal and organizational barriers that current affect the implementation of evidence-based practice by physiotherapists providing services to people with stroke in Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional mail survey. The Brazilian version of the questionnaires “Practitioner and Organizational Barriers to Evidence-based Stroke Rehabilitation” and the “Evidence-based practice self-efficacy scale” were mailed to physiotherapists. Logistic regression analysis were employed to explore associations between personal and organizational characteristics with education, attitudes, believes, interest, and perceived role, perceived support and organizational resources for evidence-based practice. Results: The response rate was 63% (n=164). Personal characteristics were poorly associated with education, attitudes, believes, interest, and perceived role and support for evidence-based practice. On the other hand, many organizational characteristics were identified as barriers for implementing evidence-based practice. Participation in research, working in a multidisciplinary team or in a teaching institution, having access to databases and internet at work, and working in a facility that supports research were commonly associated with evidence-based practice implementation. Conclusions: Although Brazilian physiotherapists have positive attitudes and beliefs regarding evidence-based practice, there is a need to develop a supportive organizational infrastructure, in addition to enhance skills of the evidence-based practitioner, to increase research integration in physiotherapy practice for people with stroke. Potential strategies should include mentoring, provision of resources, such as time and funding, and investments in research-related activities.

Barriers to evidence-based practice reported by Brazilian physiotherapists providing service to people with stroke: A cross-sectional mail survey