Usage evaluation of a resource to support evidence-based physiotherapy: the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro)

ObjectivesThe Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) is a free, web-based database of reports of randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in physiotherapy. The objective of this study was to describe the usage of PEDro over a 2-year period, including the number of visits and searches performed, the number of countries and territories from which users accessed PEDro, and amount of usage from each country.DesignSurvey of web-site and database log files.Main outcome measuresUsage of the PEDro home-page (www.pedro.org.au) and the search function were logged for a 2-year period. Visit and search data were used to calculate the number of visits and searches each month. Domain data were used to calculate the total number of countries accessing PEDro and the amount of usage from each country and territory.ResultsThe PEDro home-page received 921,181 visits from 205 countries and territories in 2010 and 2011, with 3,350,740 new searches performed. On average, a new search was initiated every 19 seconds. The highest usage was from the United States of America (15%), Australia (13%) and Brasil (8%). Highest normalised usage was from Peru (255 searches/physiotherapist), Chile (154) and Columbia (90), and from Australia (19,883 searches/million-population), New Zealand (13,267) and Switzerland (11,361).ConclusionsThere was substantial use of the PEDro resource by the global physiotherapy community during 2010 and 2011. The provision of the PEDro search function in languages other than English may enhance accessibility.