Knowledge Utilization Studies Program, Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Dentistry-Pharmacy Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Int J Dent Hyg. 2011 Aug;9(3):191-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-5037.2010.00484.x. Epub 2010 Sep 28.
Research use is a core component of evidence-based practice (EBP), contributing to improved patient outcomes; however, we know little about factors influencing research use among dental hygienists. The purpose of this study is to examine whether individual's attitudes and organizational context influence dental hygienists' research use.
A cross-sectional survey design was used to study research use among a geographically stratified probability sample of 1100 Canadian dental hygienists. A translated French-language version was provided for Francophone dental hygienists. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using SPSS.
Mean responses were highest for conceptual research use (RU) (4.1), followed by overall RU (3.7), direct RU (3.3), and persuasive RU (3.3), on a five-point Likert scale. Internal consistency reliability for attitude and context scales was high (Cronbach's alpha 0.86 and 0.83, respectively). Repeated measures t-tests found significant differences between willingness to implement research and frequency of actually implementing research (P < 0.001 for paired comparisons), and ratings of importance of supportive practice characteristics were significantly higher than their actual presence (P < 0.001 for paired comparisons). A multiple linear regression model found the variables attitude, context, and years of practice explained 19.0% of the variation in responses.
Significant differences between willingness to implement research and actual implementation, and between perceived importance of supportive practice characteristics and their presence, require exploration of these differences.
These findings support the importance of the practice context and individual attitudes for research uptake by dental hygienists. Knowledge translation theories can inform further research and contribute greater explanatory power to this preliminary model.
研究使用是循证实践（EBP）的核心组成部分，有助于改善患者的预后；然而，我们对影响牙科保健员研究使用的因素知之甚少。本研究旨在探讨个体态度和组织环境是否会影响牙科保健员的研究使用。
本研究采用横断面调查设计，对 1100 名加拿大牙科保健员进行了地理分层概率抽样调查。为说法语的牙科保健员提供了翻译后的法语版本。使用 SPSS 进行描述性和推断性分析。
在五点李克特量表上，概念性研究使用（RU）的平均得分最高（4.1），其次是整体 RU（3.7）、直接 RU（3.3）和说服性 RU（3.3）。态度和环境量表的内部一致性信度较高（Cronbach's alpha 分别为 0.86 和 0.83）。重复测量 t 检验发现，实施研究的意愿与实际实施研究的频率之间存在显著差异（配对比较的 P<0.001），支持实践特征的重要性评分明显高于其实际存在（配对比较的 P<0.001）。多元线性回归模型发现，态度、环境和实践年限这三个变量可以解释 19.0%的反应变异。
实施研究的意愿与实际实施之间以及支持性实践特征的感知重要性与其实际存在之间存在显著差异，需要进一步探讨这些差异。
这些发现支持了牙科保健员研究采用的实践环境和个体态度的重要性。知识转化理论可以为进一步的研究提供信息，并为这个初步模型提供更大的解释力。
