BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal pain is common amongst garment workers due to awkward postures, and repetitive or forceful movements. Chronic pain can have a negative impact on the mental health and quality of life of workers, leading to a decrease in productivity. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a time efficient, cost-effective and simple technique that can be used by workers at their workstations to address musculoskeletal pain. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the immediate effect of PMR on the pain and well-being of garment workers with musculoskeletal pain. METHODS: A single-group pretest-posttest design was used. Data were collected in two sessions with the workers (n=24). During the first session, consent was obtained, eligibility was determined, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was administered. During the second session, the pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Stellenbosch Mood Scale (STEMS) were administered before and immediately after the PMR intervention. The intervention was offered by final year occupational therapy students in Cape Town, South Africa. RESULTS: PHQ-9 scores showed more than half the participants (n=15) presented with symptoms of depression requiring monitoring or intervention. Pain VAS scores indicated that PMR substantially decreased musculoskeletal pain (m difference = 2.67, p <.001, Cohen's d = 1.74). The STEMS showed a moderate improvement in mental wellbeing immediately after the intervention (Cohen's d = 0.34 to 0.90). CONCLUSION: PMR was effective at reducing musculoskeletal pain and improving the mood of garment workers with musculoskeletal pain. PMR is potentially a feasible intervention for workers to use while at their workstations in resource-constrained environments. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: • A single session of PMR can be used to immediately improve musculoskeletal pain and wellbeing. • PMR can be used on its own or in combination with other modalities. • PMR scripts can be shortened, translated and recorded; and then shared with clients via WhatsApp so that they can use it themselves. • This is an effective, low-resource, quick intervention that can be useful for workplaces where pain and mental distress are common.
Background: Children with autism spectrum disorder often have limited engagement in daily activities, particularly in low‑resource settings. This study aimed to evaluate whether individualised therapist-led intervention increases activity participation, enjoyment, and playfulness among children with autism compared with standard group-based care. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted at two centres involving 86 children with autism spectrum disorder (n=86), aged 3–12 years. Participants were assigned to either the intervention group (n = 43) which received 9 months’ one-to-one instruction or a comparison group (n = 43) which received standard care. The Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment, Children's Preferences for Activities, and the Test of Playfulness were used to evaluate the children both before and after the intervention. Results: Significant, statistically robust improvements were observed with one-on-one instruction in some activities. Participation increased across domains with the largest effects for quiet recreation and hobbies (Cohen’s d ≈1.0–1.2; p<0.001) while enjoyment (p = 0.046, d = 0.45, ηp² = 0.21) and a marked improvement of playfulness (p<0.001). Preference shifts occurred within the intervention group but were not significantly different from controls after covariate adjustment. Conclusion: Individualised one‑to‑one instruction yielded meaningful participation gains and is promising for low‑resource settings. Future research should include fidelity measurement, longer follow‑up, and a larger sample to confirm effectiveness. Implications for Practice · One-to-one instruction should be considered as an effective option in clinical and school settings to increase participation and playfulness for children with autism spectrum disorder · Routine use of validated tools and fidelity audits is recommended to monitor outcomes, detect preference shifts, and guide individualised goal setting. · Interventions should target playfulness (extent, intensity, and skilfulness) alongside participation frequency because improvements in play quality drive meaningful engagement. · Pilot one-to-one instructional programmes in district centres, funding staff, training, and monitoring to broaden access in low-resource settings.
Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1 in 54 children globally. South African estimates suggest that approximately 2% of the population has the condition. The persistent nature of ASD characteristics requires an enduring commitment of care from the entire family. Despite the positive experiences equated with raising a child with ASD, families experience stress and reduced mental and emotional well-being. Both the positive and less favourable aspects of ASD influence typically developing siblings within the family unit. This study explored the perspectives of typically developing siblings who live in the same household as their sibling with ASD. Methods: The qualitative design allowed for the collection of in-depth data via semi-structured interviews. Participants aged seven years and older were recruited to participate in the study. The necessary permissions, consent and assents were obtained. Thematic analysis using an inductive approach was used to analyse the data. Findings: The findings revealed that siblings coped with challenging behaviours from the child with ASD, communication difficulties, limited time with parents, and resource limitations regarding support and skill acquisition. However, they adapted to these challenges by developing coping strategies and being self-driven to understand ASD. Conclusion: Siblings are integral to the family unit. Further research into their lived experiences and needs is prudent. Implications for practice Family-centred occupational therapy should address the unique needs of siblings in families with a child with ASD, which imposes significant challenges on family dynamics. This study provides the following insights for research and intervention: • Insights into sibling experiences and coping strategies can inform targeted interventions for siblings. • Siblings, alongside parents, may reinforce therapeutic strategies at home, enhancing intervention outcomes. • Further research is needed in culturally diverse contexts, particularly in South Africa, to optimise occupational therapy for families with autistic children.
Introduction: This rapid review synthesised global evidence on occupational therapy intervention practices for neonatal care to inform occupational therapy practice within national health policies. Neonatal care refers to early intervention for premature or at-risk newborn infants. Methods: Searches were conducted of the Cochrane, Medline, CINAHL, and Academic OneFile databases through keyword searches. Systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that qualified as Level I and II studies, published in peer-reviewed journals from January 2015 to August 2025, were included for screening. Screenings took place in Rayyan.ai first by title and abstract by two reviewers, and then by full text. Conflicts were resolved by a third reviewer. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklists for systematic reviews and RCTs were used for bias and quality control. The records included in the study were systematically analysed, and the resulting data were plotted using a customised Excel worksheet. Results: Nine records were included for analysis, focusing on the following interventions: family-focused care, sensory-focused oral-motor interventions, management of tone, interventions for obstetric brachial plexus injuries, multisensory stimulation and priming, and the effect of neonatal therapy interventions on the development of premature infants. A strong focus on family involvement was present. Intervention took place on a primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare levels where the occupational therapist was part of a specialised team. Short and possible long-term outcomes were described for all developmental domains. Conclusion: Strong global evidence confirms that occupational therapists are vital members of specialist neonatal teams across all healthcare levels. They provide crucial care to infants for overall development and support families through education and training.
Introduction Perceived or actual inability to engage in meaningful activities or occupations can threaten occupational identity, the capacity to engage, self-efficacy, satisfaction with daily occupations and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of engagement in occupations among autistic adults and how these experiences affected their occupational identity and competence. Methods An atypical qualitative research method used an existing blog and asynchronous email interviews to collect data. In Phase 1, 196 blog posts from an existing online group for autistic individuals were analysed. Five autistic adults who were group members participated in email interviews in Phase 2. Data were deductively analysed according to the themes of occupational identity and occupational competence. Findings A strong occupational identity supported occupational competence, within the unique abilities of individuals, to engage in meaningful occupations and meet performance expectations. This included using technology, advocating for autism awareness and a sense of control while enacting valued interests. Perceived challenges were meeting obligations, work expectations, financial independence, working with others, relationships, establishing routines, and managing environmental sensory triggers. These affected both occupational identity and competence. Conclusion Despite many challenges and a limited awareness of autism, a strong occupational identity encouraged competence in meaningful occupations. These findings can facilitate client-centred occupational therapy intervention. Implications for practice • Autistic adults were found to have a strong occupational identity and competence within roles where adaptations accommodated their occupational performance. • The occupational identity and competence of autistic adults are affected by differences when engaging in some desired activities, which have the potential to result in occupational disruption, particularly in routines and social participation in society and at work. • It is important for occupational therapists: o to explore the occupational identity and competence of autistic adults, o to support and facilitate environmental modification and other adaptations for successful engagement in the meaningful activities they need and want to do, o to improve quality of life and wellbeing.
Background South African medico-legal occupational therapists assess claimants’ performance in activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL and iADL) which is a prerequisite of work ability. Evaluation of rural claimants can be problematic, since existing assessment instruments do not consider the manual handling demands of iADLs such as firewood and water collection, unique to these settings. This paper reports the content validity determined by subject matter experts (SMEs) for the Rural Activities of Daily Living Manual Handling Sort (RAMS), an outcome measure developed to assess ADLs in rural areas. Method A quantitative descriptive research design with purposive stratified sampling was employed to identify 12 SMEs to determine item-level content validity index (I-CVI), scale-level content validity index-average (S-CVI/Ave) and index-universal agreement (S-CVI/UA) for the RAMS. Results The results supported good content validity of the RAMS instrument. Items with a score below 0.87 were edited and after recommended changes were made, they were retained in the final RAMS version. The I-CVI scores for the lifting, carrying and pushing domains were 0.97, 1 and 0.99 respectively, while the mean I-CVI was 0.99. The Scale-level content validity index–average (S-CVI/Ave) score for relevance was 0.99. Conclusion The RAMS was found to be a valid instrument for assessment of the manual handling domains of ADLs unique to rural contexts and with further field testing will enable medico-legal occupational therapists to provide realistic evidence to compensation funds. Implications for practice There is currently no other contextual ADL or iADL instrument available for use in the medico-legal or other practice fields in South Africa. It is anticipated that the use of the RAMS in medico-legal practice will enable South African occupational therapists and those further afield to advocate for appropriate ADL and iADL accommodations for claimants who live in rural resource-scarce contexts. The RAMS is anticipated to contribute substantially to the medico-legal field of occupational therapy in South Africa and to have an impact on improving quality of life of rural claimants. Further studies involving field-testing to investigate the remainder of the psychometric properties of the RAMS, additional contextual occupations and the application of the RAMS in other settings and fields of practice are recommended.
Introduction: The link between sensory integration (SI) dysfunction and learning differences is well-established, highlighting its influence on academic abilities. However, limited research has investigated SI dysfunction patterns in South African children. Aim: This study investigated which patterns of SI dysfunction children attending a short-term remedial school in Kwa-Zulu Natal exhibited. Method: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 35 children’s files, which included data from the Evaluation of Ayres Sensory Integration® (EASI), Sensory Processing Measure (SPM), and Family Life Impact Questionnaire (FLIQ). Descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, and standard deviations) were used to identify sensory integration patterns. Results: Findings indicated that 71,4% of children presented with bilateral integration and sequencing difficulty, while 42.9% of children exhibited somatodyspraxia. Tactile and vestibular perception problems were present in 42.9% of the sample. This population of children displayed increased auditory, tactile and visual sensitivities, praxis difficulties, and postural control challenges in the classroom. At home, difficulties included planning, reactivity to auditory and olfactory input, with daily living, social participation, and community engagement being influenced. Conclusion: These findings contribute to understanding SI in children with learning differences and support intervention planning, classroom adaptations, and caregiver–teacher collaboration. Implications for practice · * A comprehensive Sensory Integration (SI) assessment is crucial for effective intervention planning, including assessing the child’s sensory perception, praxis, sensory reactivity and impact on family life. · * An informed understanding of the patterns of SI dysfunction enables therapists to move beyond generic approaches, allowing for the development of targeted, functionally relevant intervention strategies. · * Targeted intervention planning enhances therapeutic efficacy and supports improved outcomes in daily occupational performance. · * A detailed understanding of the child’s reactivity to sensory input in both classroom and home environments is essential for tailoring appropriate intervention approaches. · * Including daily occupations as a focus within a child’s intervention plan is essential for promoting functional skills. · * Understanding the patterns of SI dysfunction allows for collaboration with educators and caregivers regarding the functional impact of these challenges. It assists in incorporating adjustments such as environmental modifications and regulatory strategies. · * The knowledge gained supports the design of group-based or classroom-level interventions that address commonly observed sensory challenges, therefore extending the reach of occupational therapy services and encouraging equitable support.
This commentary responds to growing but uneven engagement with decolonising occupational therapy education in South Africa. Drawing on national conversations with occupational therapy educators and reflections from international professional discourse, it highlights a striking tension: while the profession speaks confidently about occupational justice and contextual responsiveness, there remains limited articulation of what decolonising occupational therapy education entails. Situated within broader South African higher education debates, the paper clarifies the distinction between colonialism and coloniality and argues that decolonising is not additive reform, symbolic inclusion, or wholesale rejection of Global North scholarship. Rather, it is an ongoing epistemic, pedagogical and relational project. The commentary proposes three interrelated commitments to guide national dialogue: engaging in criticality and historicity through reflexive examination of power and positionality; valuing epistemic plurality through integration of diverse knowledge systems; and emphasising relational praxis that reconfigures how knowledge is co-created in education and practice. Decolonising occupational therapy education is framed not as ideological positioning, but as an ethical and professional imperative to ensure contextual relevance and epistemic justice. The article invites sustained collective engagement rather than a singular blueprint for transformation.
Introduction: The specific nature of occupational therapy interventions for substance-related disorders in South African primary health care settings remain unclear, despite these disorders posing significant intersecting health and social challenges. The 2023 Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Use Disorders Policy emphasises a shift towards collaborative care, however it remains unclear how occupational therapists enact these directives. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study explored substance-related disorder interventions provided by occupational therapists in the City of Johannesburg’s public primary health care facilities. Purposive heterogeneous sampling was used to select eighteen participants consisting of occupational therapists (n=8), multidisciplinary team members (n=6) and service users (n=4). Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, written, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Results: Six themes emerged: (1) individualised approaches to substance-related disorder interventions, (2) campaigns and screenings, (3) barriers to service delivery, (4) socioeconomic and contextual influences on substance use, (5) service users’ experiences with occupational therapy, and (6) proposed solutions for improved substance-related disorder interventions. Conclusion: Despite challenges in South African public health settings—such as underfunding and staff shortages—occupational therapists in primary health care settings provide numerous occupation-based interventions for substance-related disorders. These interventions address occupational performance in individual and group settings, with gardening groups being the most common form of group intervention. Implications for practice: The findings suggest that occupational therapy interventions for substance-related disorders primarily focus on leisure, education, work, psychoeducation, coping skills development, and referrals to learnerships. However, health promotion and substance-related disorder prevention are often underemphasised. These findings highlight the need for occupational therapists to actively engage in health promotion, substance-related disorder prevention, and enhanced interprofessional collaboration to address these conditions more comprehensively.
Introduction: Generalist occupational therapists provide hand rehabilitation in challenging settings due to the scarcity of specialist hand therapists. This study aimed to describe the experiences of generalist occupational therapists in South Africa to identify their support and development needs, and propose interventions to address these. Methods: This qualitative descriptive instrumental case study design involved six purposively sampled occupational therapists delivering hand therapy in a generalist capacity. Data from in-depth interviews and fieldnotes were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Within- and cross-case analysis was undertaken. Findings: Vignettes illustrate within-case findings and cross-case analysis generated five themes: participants’ experienced hand rehabilitation as both stressful and satisfying and engaged in a distinct learning journey. To respond to the demand for hand therapy, participants articulated various enablers, captured in rising to the challenge. traversing system and service change explains the complex and transient nature of the systems and services in which participants functioned. Finally, once upon a hand injury illustrates the lived realities of patients and the practice complexities that therapists navigate. Conclusion: Capacity strengthening that is responsive to generalist occupational therapists’ experiences and needs should include individual-level strategies, team and human resource strategies, education, physical resources, and system and service-level strategies. Implications for practice · Delivering hand rehabilitation as a generalist occupational therapist in the public sector is both stressful and satisfying, and a learning journey situated within a dynamic health system and influenced by the realities of patients’ lives. · Capacity strengthening to support this cadre of therapists should include education, physical resources and strategies that target the individual; the team and human resources; and system and service-level strategies.
Introduction: Community integration plays a vital role for stroke survivors, supporting participation in meaningful occupations and fostering connection to their environments. Yet, stroke survivors often experience barriers that hinder community integration. Objective: This study aimed to explore and describe the stroke survivors’ experiences of community integration in Mangaung, Free State. The Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) guided the interpretation of their journeys. Method: A descriptive qualitative design was used. Eight participants, who received 3–6 weeks of inpatient rehabilitation at private hospitals, were recruited and interviewed individually using an interview script. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. Findings: Three main themes emerged from the participants’ experiences: (1) Challenges with Accessibility: physical and societal barriers that limited mobility and engagement. (2) Role of Social Networks: family, friends, and community support facilitated integration. (3) Engagement in Meaningful Activities: Participation significantly contributed to their sense of belonging and recovery. Conclusion: Rehabilitation programmes should address individual and systemic barriers, improve environmental accessibility, considering the clients’ social network and opportunities for meaningful participation. These measures are essential to support community integration and the overall quality of life of stroke survivors. Implications for practice This study revealed the complex factors influencing post-stroke community integration and offers the following recommendations: • Provide holistic, client-centred therapy that addresses emotional, cognitive, physical, and spiritual needs to support identity reconstruction. • Adapt home and community environments and advocate for accessibility and inclusion. • Facilitate phased community integration through graded public exposure, normalising psychosocial challenges and assistive device use. • Involve caregivers, community members, and faith leaders to foster belonging and sustained participation. • Finally, expand professional roles to include home- and community-based support beyond discharge.
Introduction: There are various stressors associated with parenting a child with sensory integration difficulties and although family-centered practice is essential in paediatric occupational therapy, there is limited research focused on the needs of the parent. This study aimed to identify what therapist-parent support methods are valued by South African parents of children with sensory integration difficulties. Methodology: A non-experimental cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. A self-administered online survey was completed by 103 South African parents living in Gauteng province whose children attended occupational therapy for sensory integration difficulties. Results: Most parents (62.14%) reported that they were ‘very satisfied’ with the support they receive from their child’s occupational therapist. The most common therapist-parent support currently in place included electronic communication (72,82%), followed by therapy ‘homework’ (66,99%) and verbal feedback (65.05%) after therapy sessions. The least utilised support included parent support groups (0.97%), parent education seminars (1.94%) and home visits (1.94%). Support methods that were rated the most helpful by participants included parent-therapist consultations or feedback meetings (69.90%), formal reports (62.75%) and electronic communication (60.78%). Conclusion: This paper outlines the importance of using multi-component parent support methods in the context of family-centered care, as presents factors which can guide South African occupational therapists in their selection thereof. Implications for practice: • Occupational therapists working with children with sensory integration difficulties should use multi-component support methods to support parents throughout the therapy process. • This study provides a comprehensive list of parental support methods that therapists can use when treating children with sensory integration difficulties. • Consideration should be given to context and parental preferences when selecting and implementing methods.
Introduction: Depression is a leading cause of disability. Occupational therapy interventions address the multifaceted impact of depression by promoting participation and engagement in meaningful activities. This review examined the specific contribution of occupational therapy as part of a national initiative in South Africa to inform public healthcare practice on the role of occupational therapy in treating depressive conditions. Method: A rapid review methodology was used to synthesise evidence from the CINAHL and Cochrane Library databases. Systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published from 2014 until 2025 on occupational therapy interventions for depressive disorders were included. The initial search yielded 265 articles. Following title and abstract of 262 articles conducted by three reviewers using predetermined inclusion criteria, 41 articles proceeded to full-text review. Results: Six systematic review articles with CASP ratings ranging from 70 to 90%, were included. These synthesised evidence from between 5 and 45 RCTs conducted predominantly in high-income countries. Identified intervention themes included return-to-work and work retention after depression, healthy lifestyle interventions and suicide risk mitigation, specific therapeutic approaches and techniques, activity-based and occupational performance components, and social- and community-focussed interventions. Work-focussed interventions showed the strongest evidence base, while tele-health delivery of occupational therapy interventions remained under-explored. Conclusion: Occupational therapy interventions for depression span individualised, components of function, and group-based approaches, with emphasis on work and lifestyle outcomes. The evidence is heavily concentrated in high income countries. To inform South African practice, local occupational therapists should prioritise systematic documentation and generation of high quality evidence from diverse economic contexts, and address the limited exploration of tele-health interventions in current practice. Implications for practice • Local occupational therapists working with persons with depression should prioritise the systematic documentation of interventions and outcomes to contribute to building a contextually relevant evidence base. • Occupational therapists should develop competencies in tele-health service delivery and explore opportunities to deliver depression interventions through remote platforms while remaining mindful of digital divides and infrastructure limitations. • Occupational therapists should strengthen community-based rehabilitation (CBR) approaches for depression, integrating with primary care services while addressing community-level stigma and accessibility barriers.
Introduction: Healthcare professionals are encouraged to practice reflection, which can be learnt using various tools during their undergraduate studies. The study aimed to explore the experience of occupational therapy students using the Kawa model as a self-reflection tool during their mental health work-integrated learning. Method: An exploratory, descriptive, qualitative design was employed. Semi-structured online interviews with probe follow-up questions were conducted in English with newly graduated community service occupational therapists (n=10) who used the Kawa Model as a self-reflection tool during their final year of mental health work-integrated learning. The data was transcribed and analysed by the researchers using thematic analysis. Ethical approval was granted by the ethical research board of the university. Trustworthiness was ensured through anonymity, member checking and peer debriefings. Findings: Three themes emerged from the data on using the Kawa model as a self-reflection tool, namely, (i) facilitators to reflection using the Kawa model, (ii) barriers to reflection using the Kawa model, (iii) recommendations for future use of the Kawa model. Conclusion: The Kawa model as a self-reflection tool is beneficial. Participants noted that self-reflection using a model provided them with a guideline, which helped them to organise their thoughts when reflecting. Implications for practice: • The Kawa model has a positive impact on professional development, encouraging students to become more self-aware. • The study highlights the need to integrate the Kawa model into undergraduate training and to utilise it as a self-reflection tool during work-integrated learning. • Although the results of this study are specific to mental health work-integrated learning, the Kawa model as a self-reflection tool can be explored in other work-integrated learning areas across South Africa.
Background: Best-evidence recommendations guide the non-pharmacological management of patients diagnosed with hand osteoarthritis. The problem is that the current management approaches and whether the best evidence recommendations are incorporated by occupational therapists and physiotherapists in South Africa have not yet been investigated, potentially resulting in decreased quality of life, function, and pain. This pilot study aimed to investigate occupational and physiotherapists' knhowledge, patient load, and management practices used for individuals diagnosed with osteoarthitis. Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional questionnaire pilot study included 34 post-graduate occupational and physiotherapists in public and private sectors in South Africa. Participants completed the questionnaire after providing informed consent on the first question of a Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) questionnaire. Afterwards, the data were exported to an Excel spreadsheet for descriptive statistical analysis. Results: Nineteen occupational therapists and fifteen physiotherapists, all females, and three physiotherapist males, participated. Occupational therapists obtained education in hand rehabilitation from accredited ontinuing education courses followed by undergraduate university training, and physiotherapists at undergraduate university level followed by clinical training on-site. Occupational therapists used splinting, and physiotherapists used electrotherapy and joint mobilisations. Occupational therapists included more best-evidence recommendations in their management approaches but not muscle strengthening exercises. Physiotherapists omitted more bes-evidence recommendations in the management of individuals with hand osteoarthritis. Both groups omitted assessments for quality of life and didn't use standardised outcome measures. Conclusion: Best-evidence practice recommendations were implemented more evidently in occupational therapists, with. both groups of therapists omitting standardised assessments for quality of life and function. Implications for practice: Standardised hand function and quality of life assessments should be included in management approaches. Exercise prescription and pain education need to be highlighted in the management. Best-evidence hand osteoarthritis management recommendations need to be advocated and implemented by occupational therapists and physiotherapists in South Africa Interdisciplinary practices, where the strangths of both occupational and physiotherapists are highlighted, will benefit individuals diagnosed with hand osteoarthritis.
INTRODUCTION: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is crucial for delivering optimal client care. Although healthcare sciences students, including occupational therapy students at the University of Pretoria, receive the same evidence-based practice training, their attitudes, knowledge, skills and practices in EBP remain mostly unknown. Determining these aspects in final-year students is important as it may impact their future practice. METHODS: A non-experimental cross-sectional study was conducted using the Student Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire. The survey was electronically distributed and completed by 50 final-year healthcare sciences students. Data analysis was performed using measures of central tendency. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Participants have positive attitudes related to the implementation of evidence-based practice. However, gaps in practice remain. Students rate their evidence-based practice knowledge as "average", which may impact their practice after graduation. Students report that they are more skilled in certain steps of EBP than others. CONCLUSION: The survey results can be used to strengthen evidence-based practice training for healthcare sciences students, potentially improving their ability to implement evidence-based practice after graduation. Several identified barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice may be overcome through more purposeful training. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE • Positive attitudes towards EBP do not necessarily translate into increased practice and skills in EBP. • Educators should be aware of the challenges students experience with the different steps of EBP. • Training of healthcare science students should be developed to include all five steps of EBP. • Educating students on how to effectively use resources provided by their institutions can improve the evidence they find and apply.
