Use of Evidence-Based Practice and Barriers to Utilize Research in Rural Social Work Practice

Abstract

In this study the author explores the level of use of evidence-based practice and the extent of barriers to research utilization in rural practice settings. Ninety-one social work field instructors from the rural areas of Southeast Ohio reported moderate use of evidence-based practice in their treatment process. The majority of field instructors also identified significant barriers to research utilization in practice. In addition, the use of evidence-based practice was associated with barriers to utilize research in the areas of field instructors' characteristics, organizational settings and limits, and communication. Implications include suggestions for enhancing evidence-based practice in rural settings.

Inclusion of rural populations in a sample of current mental health intervention research.

“…Even though strong support has developed for the use of evidence-based practices in mental health treatment (Lee, 2016), the results of this study suggest that the professional literature includes few empirically tested interventions that are based on rural populations. This can present an ethical dilemma for rural practitio-ners who are encouraged, or possibly required, to implement evidence-based practices that have not been assessed for effectiveness within their client population.…”

“…This can present an ethical dilemma for rural practitio-ners who are encouraged, or possibly required, to implement evidence-based practices that have not been assessed for effectiveness within their client population. Rural mental health providers, particularly those who are experienced practitioners, are likely aware that services and interventions that may be effective in an urban or suburban environment do not always successfully translate to rural settings where culture, attitudes, resources, and relationships can be quite different (Lee, 2016). This is especially salient when considering that only three of the reviewed articles were based in the United States and reported findings that could be directly applicable to a rural American practice setting.…”

“…We hypothesized that the current literature base also would be limited in its intervention testing within rural populations. Although the lack of intervention research to guide effective service delivery affects all practitioners, rural mental health providers face additional challenges in identifying and implementing services that have both a strong evidence base and will work effectively in rural settings (Lee, 2016; Parrish & Trawver, 2013). For example, in Clark, Sprang, Freer, and Whitt-Woosley (2012) conducted focus groups with behavioral health therapists from urban, rural, and rural-with-urban-influence practice settings and found that rural practitioners reported that the efficacy of best practice programs was challenged by the rural environment.…”

Attitudes toward and Utilization of Evidence-based Practice among Norwegian Social Workers

“…In order to successfully implement evidence-based interventions and practices, there is a need to understand how the concept is perceived and utilized by social workers and professionals. There have been studies published on social workers' attitudes toward EBP in a variety of different fields of practice, such as social services managers, social work field instructors, juvenile justice service professionals, medical social workers, social work students and EBP experts (Avby, Nilsen, & Abrandt;Bender, Altschul, Yoder, Parrish, & Nickels, 2014;Bellamy, Bledsoe, & Traube, 2006;Eliasson, 2014;Lee, 2015;McKee, 2014;Udo, Forsman, Jensfelt, & Flink, 2018). These studies have generally demonstrated that social workers' different fields of practice have a multifaceted understanding of EBP in that they describe the concept in a variety of different ways, and present barriers such as lack of knowledge, organizational limits, time and a poor translation of research into practice.…”

Provider Attitudes, Organizational Readiness for Change, and Uptake of Research Supported Treatment

“…Over the past 20 years, the field of social work moved toward the adoption of RSTs to enhance clinical practice (Lee, 2016;Tuten et al, 2016), which has substantial implications for service delivery as 60% of mental health services are delivered by social workers, followed by psychologists (23%), psychiatrists (10%), and psychiatric nurses (5%), according to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW; https:// www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/features/issue/mental.asp). In response, both the service system and institutions of higher education have attempted to equip social workers with the skills needed to utilize RST in their practice (Tuten et al, 2016), although this has not been a uniform endeavor (Bertram, Charnin, Kerns, & Long, 2015;Bingham, Wirjapranata, & Chinnery, 2016).…”