Validation of the Portuguese version of the attitudes and barriers to evidence-based practice questionnaire

Abstract

1. Objective: Several studies have demonstrated a wide range of attitudes and barriers towards the evidence-based practice from health professionals in general and nurses in particular. This communication aims to describe the process of linguistic and cultural validation to the Portuguese language of the Attitudes and Barriers Questionnaire to Evidence Based Practice (QABPBE). Its availability should provide an additional tool that can contribute to a better assessment of attitudes and perceived barriers related to evidence-based practice. 2. Methods: The QABPBE is an instrument whose objective is to assess the attitudes and barriers with which nurses are faced regarding evidence based practice (EBP) and includes 26 items measured on an ordinal Likert scale ranging from 1 ( strongly disagree) to 5 ( strongly agree ). We decided to proceed with its translation and adaptation to our context, studying the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version by developing a cross-sectional study. For cultural adaptation we performed a bidirectional translation according to the usual standards. To examine the construct validity, we used the Principal Component Analysis with a Varimax orthogonal rotation. For the selection of factors we follow the criterion: eingvalues specific > 1 and excluding loads below 0.30 factor. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using the Cronbach’s alpha. 3 Results: Participated 244 nurses providing care in different contexts in a local health unit in northern Portugal corresponding to a response rate of 64.2 %. The majority of subjects were women (85.8%) aged 31 and 40 years (45.7%) followed by 21 to 30 years (32.4%) and 41 to 50 (17.4%). Of the participants, 80.7 % completed a graduate program (licensure degree) in nursing education with a duration of four academic year’s full time. In terms of postgraduate qualification (Masters and/or PhD), 12.3% already obtain it and 15 % found himself presently attending it. Approximately 48.4 % had a specialist professional title in nursing. We also observed that only 26.3 % of nurses had been involved with variable and heterogeneous statutes in several research projects. The version we study has 26 items and presents an acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.60). The principal components analysis suggests eight dimensions that explain 55.7 % of the total variance. 4 Discussion: Analysis demonstrated empirical evidence that the questionnaire is valid for use in the studied context and therefore may contribute to its implementation and dissemination among nurses. The assessment of attitudes and barriers should be a first step and a structural support for the definition of personalized and directed interventions to specific contexts, to promote evidence-based practice among health professionals.