Investigating Factors Influencing Pharmacists’ Engagement in Evidence-Based Practice at Public Hospitals in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria

Evidence-based pharmacy practice requires pharmacists to integrate current best evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences when making drug therapy decisions. In public hospital settings in Nigeria, engagement with evidence-based practice among pharmacists is thought to be limited, though the factors shaping this engagement are understudied. This study investigated the individual, organizational, and environmental factors influencing pharmacist engagement with evidence-based practice in public hospitals in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. A mixed-methods analytical design was employed, combining a structured survey of 100 hospital pharmacists and focus group discussions with six groups of pharmacists across urban and rural hospital settings. The quantitative component assessed evidence-based practice knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors using the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire. Logistic regression identified predictors of high engagement. Evidence-based practice knowledge scores were moderate at a mean of 61 percent, and only 28 percent of respondents reported accessing primary literature weekly. Strong positive attitudes toward evidence-based practice were held by 74 percent of participants, yet self-efficacy in applying evidence was low in 55 percent. Predictors of high engagement included postgraduate qualification, access to clinical databases, supportive supervisory environment, and regular continuing professional development participation. Qualitative themes highlighted subscription cost barriers, time constraints, and institutional culture as key impediments. Recommendations include institutional provision of database access, pharmacist training in critical appraisal, and a culture shift toward evidence-informed decision-making in public hospital pharmacy departments. Keywords: evidence-based practice, hospital pharmacists, Plateau State, clinical pharmacy, knowledge translation