Clinicians' use of research findings. A review of literature with implications for physical therapists.

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature regarding research utilization by human service professionals, discuss factors that may contribute to utilization, describe recommendations that have been suggested to increase research utilization, and make suggestions for future investigations about research utilization by physical therapists. The literature suggests that research information is not used routinely by human service professionals. The nature of research communication, the training and personal characteristics of human service professionals, and the practice environments of human service professionals, such as physical therapists, probably influence the degree to which research is utilized. Specific interventions may be effective at increasing research utilization by physical therapists. A number of possible research methods are available for evaluating the present state of research utilization by physical therapists and the effects of interventions on this utilization.