Municipal Healthcare Workers Want Evidence-Based Care but Face Steep

A Swedish study highlights a structural gap in municipal primary healthcare: clinicians commonly want to deliver evidence-based care, but many say they cannot. Published in the Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, the mixed-methods investigation from Lund University found that 80% of surveyed registered professionals wished to base practice on research evidence, yet fewer than half reported doing so. The study focused on occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and registered nurses working across home healthcare, residential care facilities, and special-support services in a municipality of about 150,000 residents. Under Swedish law and professional ethics codes, they are expected to use science and proven experience. Researchers surveyed all 290 employed professionals and received 102 valid responses (35% overall), with higher participation among occupational therapists (54%) and physiotherapists (50%) than nurses (27%). Interviews and survey analysis pointed to a struggle between personal goals and limited organizational support, skills, and access to resources.