Evidence-based practice - implementation level and attitude among physical, occupational, and speech and language therapists in Germany: status quo.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an important component of clinical practice in public health. Its implementation involves interpreting scientific studies and then applying this knowledge to clinical decision-making. In Germany, the therapy professions are often trained in non-academic medical schools, and only a small number of therapists are university graduates. AIMS: This study assessed the current status of EBP among physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists and to determine whether academization influences the implementation of EBP in Germany. METHODS: To assess the EBP implementation level and therapists' attitudes toward EBP, a cross-sectional study was conducted using the German version of the Evidence-Based Practice Inventory (EBPI), which consists of five dimensions: attitude; subjective norm; perceived behavioral control; decision-making; and intention and behavior. The structural validity and internal consistency of the EBPI survey were also tested. RESULTS: Of the 2,412 responses, only 557 were eligible. There were statistically significant differences between academically educated vs. non-academically educated therapists in four of the five EBPI dimensions. Furthermore, four of the five dimensions had sufficient unidimensionality and internal consistency. CONCLUSION: There are differences between academically educated and non-academically educated therapists regarding EBP knowledge, attitudes, and implementation. Academically educated therapists are more likely to use EBP than non-academically educated therapists. There are still barriers to clinical application that need to be addressed. SPANISH ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A195.

Shaping and spatiotemporal characterization of sub-10-fs pulses focused by a high-NA objective.

We describe a setup consisting of a 4f pulse shaper and a microscope with a high-NA objective lens and discuss the aspects most relevant for an undistorted spatiotemporal profile of the focused beam. We demonstrate shaper-assisted pulse compression in focus to a sub-10-fs duration using phase-resolved interferometric spectral modulation (PRISM). We introduce a nanostructure-based method for sub-diffraction spatiotemporal characterization of strongly focused pulses. The distortions caused by optical aberrations and space-time coupling from the shaper can be reduced by careful setup design and alignment to about 10 nm in space and 1 fs in time.