Palliative Care-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Self-Assessment Among Physicians in Vietnam.
J Pain Symptom Manage
; 58(6): 1015-1022.e10, 2019 12.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31425821
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT Palliative care is rarely accessible in low- and middle-income countries, and lack of adequate training for health care providers is a key reason. In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health, major hospitals and medical universities, and foreign physician-educators have partnered to initiate palliative care training for physicians. OBJECTIVES:
To measure the baseline palliative care-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessment of Vietnamese physicians as a basis for curriculum development and to enable evaluation of training courses.METHODS:
Before palliative care training courses in Vietnam from 2007 to 2014, we collected data on the participating physicians' demographics, self-assessed competence in palliative care, and palliative care-related knowledge and attitudes. Scores were calculated in three outcome categories-knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessment-and in two subcategories related to physical and psychological symptoms. Associations between the demographic, education, and practice factors and these scores were assessed using linear regression.RESULTS:
Among the 392 physicians surveyed, concern about untreated suffering was highly prevalent. 85% felt that most patients with cancer in Vietnam die in pain. On self-assessment, only 8% felt adequately trained in palliative care and the mean knowledge assessment score was 44%. Although 77% had prescribed an opioid in the past year and most had appropriate attitudes toward the use of morphine for pain, the majority reported explicit or implicit restrictions on prescribing morphine.CONCLUSION:
There is a great need among Vietnam's physicians for training in palliative care and especially in nonpain and psychological symptom control. Rational, balanced, and clear opioid-prescribing policies are needed to enable physicians to treat pain without fear of repercussions.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Cuidados Paliativos
/
Médicos
/
Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud
Tipo de estudio:
Qualitative_research
Límite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Pain Symptom Manage
Asunto de la revista:
NEUROLOGIA
/
PSICOFISIOLOGIA
/
TERAPEUTICA
Año:
2019
Tipo del documento:
Article