Abstract
This study assessed the knowledge and attitude toward palliative care for the elderly among health professionals in a tertiary geriatric hospital in Vietnam and explored their determinants. Cross-sectional data were obtained on 161 geriatric health professionals at the National Geriatric Hospital. Modified-Palliative Care Knowledge Test and Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying instruments were used to measure knowledge and attitude toward geriatric palliative care. As a result, 40.5% physicians and 74.2% nurses showed insufficient knowledge about geriatric palliative care (p < 0.05). The lowest score was for dyspnea, following by gastrointestinal and pain problems. No significant difference was found regarding the attitude between physicians and nurses (p > 0.05). Health professional category, age, and years of experience were found to be associated with knowledge about palliative care. Meanwhile, only knowledge score had correlations with total attitude score (Coef. = 0.2; 95%CI = 0.1–0.3), attitude toward patients (Coef. = 0.1; 95%CI = 0.0–0.1) and toward patients’ family (Coef. = 0.1; 95%CI = 0.0–0.1). This study highlights a significant knowledge gap and preferable attitude toward palliative care for the elderly among physicians and nurses in the geriatric hospital. Intensive training about geriatric palliative care, focusing on pain, dyspnea and gastrointestinal issue management, should be performed to ensure the quality of palliative care services, especially in nurses.
Highlights
Longer life expectancy, along with alterations of end-of-life morbidity, poses great challenges in ensuring health care access for the aging population [1]
The eligible criteria for enrolling participants included: (1) worked at the National Geriatric Hospital with full-time employment during the study period; (2) were willing to participate in the study and gave informed consent
This study was approved by the Department of Geriatric, Hanoi Medical University, and National Geriatric Hospital (Code 1356/IRB)
Summary
Cross-sectional data on 161 physicians and nurses (including 124 nurses and 37 physicians) were collected using a self-administered questionnaire at the National Geriatric Hospital from June to July. These participants were randomly selected from the list of physicians and nurses in the hospital by using a computer software. The eligible criteria for enrolling participants included: (1) worked at the National Geriatric Hospital with full-time employment during the study period; (2) were willing to participate in the study and gave informed consent. This study was approved by the Department of Geriatric, Hanoi Medical University, and National Geriatric Hospital (Code 1356/IRB)
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