Pediatric Knowledge Research Articles

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pediatricians in relation to breastfeeding support: A national survey in Lebanon.

Rates of breastfeeding (BF) remain suboptimal despite overwhelming evidence for its benefits to the mother and child. Pediatricians play an important role in supporting breastfeeding (BF). In Lebanon, the rates of both exclusive and continued BF are critically low. The objective of this study is to examine the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of Lebanese pediatricians in relation to supporting BF. A national survey of Lebanese pediatricians was conducted through Lime Survey (n = 100, response rate 9.5%). The list of pediatricians' emails was obtained from the Lebanese Order of Physicians (LOP). Participants completed a questionnaire covering, in addition to sociodemographic characteristics, the KAP, related to supporting BF. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were used in data analysis. The most prevalent gaps in knowledge were related to the positioning of the baby during BF (71.9%) and the association between the mother's fluid intake and her milk production (67.4%). With regards to attitudes, 34% of participants reported unfavorable attitudes towards BF in public and BF while working (25%). As for practices, more than 40% of pediatricians kept formula samples and 21% had formula-related advertising in their clinics. Half of the pediatricians reported rarely/never referring mothers to lactation consultants. After adjustment, both being a female pediatrician and having done the residency in Lebanon were significant predictors of better knowledge (OR = 4.51 (95%CI: 1.72-11.85) and OR = 3.93 (95%CI: 1.38,11.19) respectively. This study revealed important gaps in the KAP related to BF support among Lebanese pediatricians. Coordinated efforts ought to be exerted to educate and equip pediatricians with needed knowledge and skills to support BF.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prevention through Monoclonal Antibodies: A Cross-Sectional Study on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Italian Pediatricians.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a leading cause of morbidity and hospitalization in all infants. Many RSV vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are currently under development to protect all infants, but to date preventive options are available only for preterms. In this study, we assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards RSV and the preventive use of mAb in a sample of Italian Pediatricians. An internet survey was administered through an internet discussion group, with a response rate of 4.4% over the potential respondents (No. 389 out of 8842, mean age 40.1 ± 9.1 years). The association of individual factors, knowledge, and risk perception status with the attitude towards mAb was initially inquired by means of a chi squared test, and all variables associated with mAb with p < 0.05 were included in a multivariable model calculating correspondent adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Of the participants, 41.9% had managed RSV cases in the previous 5 years, 34.4% had diagnosed RSV cases, and 32.6% required a subsequent hospitalization. However, only 14.4% had previously required mAb as immunoprophylaxis for RSV. Knowledge status was substantially inappropriate (actual estimate 54.0% ± 14.2, potential range 0-100), while the majority of participants acknowledged RSV as a substantial health threat for all infants (84.8%). In multivariable analysis, all these factors were characterized as positive effectors for having prescribed mAb (aOR 6.560, 95%CI 2.904-14.822 for higher knowledge score; aOR 6.579, 95%CI 2.919-14.827 for having a hospital background, and a OR 13.440, 95%CI 3.989; 45.287 for living in Italian Major Islands). In other words, reporting less knowledge gaps, having worked in settings with a higher risk of interaction with more severe cases, and being from Italian Major Islands, were identified as positive effectors for a higher reliance on mAb. However, the significant extent of knowledge gaps highlights the importance of appropriate medical education on RSV, its potential health consequences, and the investigational preventive interventions.

Screening and Counseling Practices for Parental Combustible Versus Electronic Cigarette Use in Pediatric Primary Care: A Pilot Study.

Tobacco exposure plays an important role in children's health. Little is known about pediatrician's experience with parental e-cigarette use. This pilot study aimed to assess pediatrician's knowledge, attitude, and behaviors regarding parental e-cigarette use. This cross-sectional survey at an academic clinic assessed residents' and attendings' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding parental combustible and e-cigarette use and counseling and cessation barriers. Sixty of 69 care providers completed the survey. Participants reported asking about parental use (5% vs 58%, Δ = 53% [95% CI Δ = 40%-67%]), advising about harms (5% vs 52%, Δ = 47% [95% CI Δ = 33%-61%]), and assisting with quitting (2% vs 28%, Δ = 27% [95% CI Δ = 15%-39%]) significantly less for e-cigarettes than for combustible cigarettes. The most common barrier to discussing use was lack of time. Lack of knowledge, unsure of harm, and lack of training were reported significantly more for e-cigarettes than for combustible cigarettes. Parental screening and counseling rates are significantly lower for e-cigarettes than for combustible cigarettes in this pilot study. Increased training could help pediatricians better protect children from tobacco exposure.

Promoting oral and dental health in early childhood - knowledge, views and current practices among paediatricians in Israel.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and practice of paediatricians in promoting oral and dental health among young patients (under age 36 months) and their parents. 145 anonymous questionnaires were distributed among paediatricians, 130 of them were 90% or above answered and were suitable for analysis for this study.75% of the questionnaires were distributed during the national convention of the Israeli Association of Clinical Paediatrics, 10% in paediatric ambulatory clinics and 15% in paediatric departments in hospitals. Questionnaires were distributed between 2018 and 2020. The inclusion criteria were physicians specialists in paediatrics or residents in paediatrics, all have Israeli licences to practice in Israel. exclusion criteria were partially filled questionnaires. The questionnaire was validated in a pilot study during the years 2010-2012. In addition to demographic variables that included medical training, post-graduate education and clinical practice the questionnaire included 42 questions. Eleven questions on demographics and amount of dental training during academic and clinical training 31 questions belonged to several sections that referred to the participants' awareness of the AAP guidelines regarding oral and dental health and knowledge of oral health. In each section paediatricians were asked to answer or give an opinion on a specific issue, their answers were coded to scores on a scale of 0-5 and summed per section. Correlations between different variables were analysed. The t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were performed for comparing two variables. For comparing more than two variables, we used the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance test or ANOVA. The response rate was 89% (130 questionnaires out of 145). The survey showed that most paediatricians (80%) recognized their role in maintaining the oral and dental health of their young patients. Nevertheless, most admitted that they do not perform simple procedures on a regular basis, like dental examinations (64.6%), or asking parents about feeding habits (59.2%) or teeth brushing (75.4%). Only 21% of the participants expressed adequate knowledge of dental care for children younger than age 3 years. Fifty-eight percent of the participants never had any dental training during their entire paediatric medicine training, including medical school. Paediatricians in private or baby clinics received higher scores in practicing caries prevention, 24.15 ± 5.17 (SD), than paediatricians in hospitals, 2.79 ± 0.54 (SD) (p = 0.006). Caries prevention practice was not found to correlate with paediatricians' knowledge or attitudes regarding oral and dental caries prevention. Oral and dental knowledge should be incorporated into the paediatric medicine curriculum. With their heavy workload, paediatricians generally do not implement dental caries risk assessment and counselling.

Attitude, knowledge and practice of pediatricians in the prevention of early childhood caries

Background/Aim: The aim of the research was to examine the general attitude, knoweledge and practice of pediatricians about caries in children of preschool age. Material and Methods: The research was conducted from November 2019 to the end of January 2020. The research consisted of a survey of pediatricians. The questionnaire consisted of 4 modules and 37 questions, which related to the attitude, knowledge and practice of pediatricians on the prevention of early childhood caries. Results: The majority of pediatricians (84.9%) stated that they assess the nutrition of their patients, while 32.1% of them always do oral health assessment, and half of them in the second month of the child's life; and 39.6% assess oral health only if there is a problem. The majority of pediatricians (86.8%) recommended the first dental examination, most often in the first year of the child's life (79.5%), and then every 6 months (43.5%). The majority of respondents did not required information about the dental health of their patients' mothers, fluoride toothpastes and topical application of fluoride as well (62.3-75.5%). The majority of pediatricians (79.2%) have never provided or sometimes provided educational material on caries prevention and control to the parents of their patients. The most accurate answers and the highest percentage of correct answers that the pediatricians had were about attitudes (Z=8.98, 66.63%), while the fewest correct answers and the lowest percentage of correct answers regarding the practices on the prevention of early childhood caries (Z=11.91, 58.90%). Conclusions: The research showed that pediatricians have the good attitudes and knowledge, but do not implement prevention of early childhood caries in practice. The basic deficiency of attitude, knowledge and perception of the importance of prevention is a consequence of insufficient education of pediatricians.

An Assessment of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Pediatricians and Pediatric Residents in Spinal Muscular Atrophy

An Assessment of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Pediatricians and Pediatric Residents in Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Avaliação do conhecimento dos pediatras e neonatologistas sobre afecções oculares na infância

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the level of knowledge of pediatricians and neonatologists about eye problems in children, their diagnosis and management, using a standardized questionnaire. Methods: A questionnaire with demographic data and questions about ophthalmological knowledge was applied among pediatricians, through the transmission line of the pediatric service of the HC FMRP/USP from January to June 2021. A cross-sectional study was carried out, whose responses were tabulated, and statistical analysis was performed using the Krukal Wallis Test and Fishers Exact Test for comparison between the pre-established groups (pediatric residents, 4 to 9 years, and more than 10 years of practice in pediatrics). Sampling was by convenience. Results: The structured questionnaire was sent to 277 pediatricians. Ninety pediatricians answered the questionnaire and 81.11% were female. As for the time of pediatric practice, 42.22% had more than 10 years. From the 17 questions about ophthalmologic knowledge, correct answers ranged from 6 to 14, and the average score was 58.52%. The questions with the highest error rate were about the management of newborns with ocular discharge and congenital tear obstruction and when a premature child should be evaluated by an ophthalmologist. However, no significant differences were found when comparing the correct answers between the groups (p=0.425) Conclusion: The results suggest a deficiency in ophthalmologic knowledge among the pediatricians interviewed; therefore, continuing education and collaboration programs between ophthalmology and pediatrics disciplines should be developed and reinforced to deepen knowledge on these topics.

AVALIAÇÃO DO CONHECIMENTO DOS PEDIATRAS E NEONATOLOGISTAS SOBRE AFECÇÕES OCULARES NA INFÂNCIA.

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the level of knowledge of pediatricians and neonatologists about eye problems in children, their diagnosis and management, using a standardized questionnaire. Methods: A questionnaire with demographic data and questions about ophthalmological knowledge was applied among pediatricians, through the transmission line of the pediatric service of the HC FMRP/USP from January to June 2021. A cross-sectional study was carried out, whose responses were tabulated, and statistical analysis was performed using the Krukal Wallis Test and Fishers Exact Test for comparison between the pre-established groups (pediatric residents, 4 to 9 years, and more than 10 years of practice in pediatrics). Sampling was by convenience. Results: The structured questionnaire was sent to 277 pediatricians. Ninety pediatricians answered the questionnaire and 81.11% were female. As for the time of pediatric practice, 42.22% had more than 10 years. From the 17 questions about ophthalmologic knowledge, correct answers ranged from 6 to 14, and the average score was 58.52%. The questions with the highest error rate were about the management of newborns with ocular discharge and congenital tear obstruction and when a premature child should be evaluated by an ophthalmologist. However, no significant differences were found when comparing the correct answers between the groups (p=0.425) Conclusion: The results suggest a deficiency in ophthalmologic knowledge among the pediatricians interviewed; therefore, continuing education and collaboration programs between ophthalmology and pediatrics disciplines should be developed and reinforced to deepen knowledge on these topics.

Avaliação do conhecimento dos pediatras e neonatologistas sobre afecções oculares na infância

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the level of knowledge of pediatricians and neonatologists about eye problems in children, their diagnosis and management, using a standardized questionnaire. METHODS: A questionnaire with demographic data and questions about ophthalmological knowledge was applied among pediatricians, through the transmission line of the pediatric service of the HC FMRP/USP from January to June 2021. A cross-sectional study was carried out, whose responses were tabulated, and statistical analysis was performed using the Krukal Wallis Test and Fishers Exact Test for comparison between the pre-established groups (pediatric residents, 4 to 9 years, and more than 10 years of practice in pediatrics). Sampling was by convenience. RESULTS: The structured questionnaire was sent to 277 pediatricians. Ninety pediatricians answered the questionnaire and 81.11% were female. As for the time of pediatric practice, 42.22% had more than 10 years. From the 17 questions about ophthalmologic knowledge, correct answers ranged from 6 to 14, and the average score was 58.52%. The questions with the highest error rate were about the management of newborns with ocular discharge and congenital tear obstruction and when a premature child should be evaluated by an ophthalmologist. However, no significant differences were found when comparing the correct answers between the groups (p=0.425) CONCLUSION: The results suggest a deficiency in ophthalmologic knowledge among the pediatricians interviewed; therefore, continuing education and collaboration programs between ophthalmology and pediatrics disciplines should be developed and reinforced to deepen knowledge on these topics.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Young Paediatricians About Chelation Therapyin Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia Major Children

Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of young paediatricians about chelation therapy in transfusiondependent thalassemia major children.&#x0D; Study Design: KAP survey&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Six different hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad Pakistan, from Jul 2019 to Jan 2020.&#x0D; Methodology: We study enrolled a sample of 98 doctors. The study included all residents (R1, R2, R3, and R4) and senior registrars of the six hospitals, while those on leave for any reason like maternity or others were excluded. A pre-validated questionnaire was used to collect the data.&#x0D; Results: Out of 98, maximum residents were of third-year (R3) 27(27.6%), followed by the second-year resident (R2) and senior registrar (SR) 19(19.4%). About 52(53.1%) residents reported that they did not have any thalassemia centre in their facility,with a maximum from Rawalpindi 65(66.3%). The study revealed that 61.2% study population had fair knowledge and attitude towards chelation therapy, while 22(22.4%) had poor and 16(16.3%) had satisfactory scores. The study revealed varied practices except for combination therapy, where 82.7% preferred it. The study showed a significant association between different categories of knowledge and attitude with professional levels, (p-value = 0.014).&#x0D; Conclusion: The majority had a fair knowledge and attitude towards chelation therapy, while the practice varies mostly,except for the maximum preferred combination therapy for chelation. The study further concluded that with an increase in professional experience, knowledge, attitude and practice improved towards better treatment.

The importance of regular and ongoing training for congenital CMV in countries without routine screening: A survey among pediatricians

Objective: Although CMV is the most common congenital infection, studies on how its importance is understood by healthcare professionals are limited. This research aims to assess awareness and knowledge of pediatricians regarding congenital CMV infection (cCMVi). Material and Methods: The target group of the study was pediatricians in Turkey. A 26-item anonymous questionnaire was developed, and implemented online. Participants were grouped by their professional seniority: Group-I, pediatric residents; Group-II, pediatricians; Group-III, specialists in any sub-branches of pediatrics; Group-IV, associate professors/professors in pediatrics. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 434 respondents. The mean duration of practice was 11.95±7.3 (1-40) years for professionals, and 31.14±13.1 (1-60) months for pediatric residents. Of the participants, 85.9% knew that cCMVi screening is not applied in Turkey and 89.4% had previously followed a patient with suspected cCMVi. Incorrect answers regarding transmission routes and diagnosis methods were significantly more preferred by pediatricians other than residents. Correct answer rates about most common clinical presentation, imaging modalities, common disease-related sequelae, and treatment were generally quite low. Conclusion: The responses revealed a lack of knowledge and awareness about cCMVi in Turkey among pediatricians, especially in professionals rather than residents. It is important to provide regular and ongoing training about cCMVi in countries where screening is not implemented.

Knowledge and Practice of Pediatricians Regarding Hypovitaminosis D-A Survey across 33 European Countries.

Hypovitaminosis D has been recognized as a worldwide pandemic, but there are disagreements regarding its diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and practice of European pediatricians concerning vitamin D (VD) and hypovitaminosis D and their adherence to relevant guidelines. A cross-sectional study was conducted through an anonymous survey via SurveyMonkey on 304 European pediatricians. Most of the participants were general pediatricians, followed by endocrinologists and neonatologists. ESPGHAN's and the national guidelines were the most frequently used. VD testing was mostly performed in patients with skeletal, chronic kidney, and autoimmune diseases. Participants predominantly answered the questions regarding the definition of hypovitaminosis D and VD supplementation correctly, especially in children younger than 12 months. They showed the least knowledge regarding the cut off-point for the initiation of the therapy and therapeutic doses used to treat confirmed hypovitaminosis D. Participants' conflicting answers could be related to the differences between the guidelines. We consider that experts in this field should create uniform guidelines, and that those guidelines should also be promoted by national or local pediatric associations.

Features of clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of COVID-19 coronavirus infection in children

Worldwide spread of COVID-19 coronavirus infection SARS-CoV-2 also affected the child population. Now, a sufficient number of studies have been described in adult patients, and only limited data are available with an analysis of the clinical course of the disease in pediatric patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Currently, SARS-CoV-2 has spread around the world as a variant of omicron. The article is a lecture on the features of the clinical picture, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of coronavirus infection in children, taking into account the latest domestic and foreign articles.&#x0D; The purpose of the lecture is to improve the knowledge of family doctors and pediatricians in the study of clinical features, course, diagnosis, therapy, prevention, and long-term consequences of a coronavirus infection. The lecture presents the etiology and epidemiology of coronavirus infection. The clinical picture of the omicron strain is described. The assessment of the clinical picture of the disease is presented based on the working criteria of the severity of the disease. The diagnosis of coronavirus infection is presented in detail. The algorithm for treating children with coronavirus infection is presented according to the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The emphasis is on prevention and elimination of dehydration. Vaccine prophylaxis during the pandemic is considered.

Educational Intervention on Pediatricians’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Child Oral Health: A Hospital Based Longitudinal Study

Background: Pediatricians provide multiple early childhood screenings and are in a privileged position to promote child oral health by enacting timely dental referrals. Our primary objective included assessing the pre- and post- educational intervention knowledge, attitude and practice of pediatricians on child oral health. The secondary objective included the assessment of prevalence of oral health problems in children attending Pediatrics out-patient department (OPD). Methods: This one-year hospital based longitudinal study involved conveniently selected 400 children (6 months to 14-years-old) from Pediatrics OPD and 12 pediatricians (complete enumeration) from a university hospital, BPKIHS, Dharan, Nepal. Screening for oral health problems in children was performed. Pre- and post-educational intervention knowledge and attitude towards child oral health of the pediatricians were assessed using a validated questionnaire. The practice component was assessed through pre- questionnaire and pre- and post-intervention dental referral paper practice. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, chi-square and paired t-tests. Results: Educational intervention significantly increased the knowledge score of the pediatricians but not their attitude (p = 0.72) or the paper dental referral practice. Oral health problems were observed in 59.3% of the children attending pediatrics OPD, dental caries being the most prevalent (49.9%). Conclusion: More than half of the children attending pediatrics OPD had oral health problems. Educational intervention was effective in improving pediatricians’ knowledge but not their attitude and the paper dental referral practice.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pediatricians Regarding Early Childhood Caries and Infant’s Oral Health: A Cross-sectional Study.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pediatricians Regarding Early Childhood Caries and Infant’s Oral Health: A Cross-sectional Study.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Parents and Pediatricians Regarding Antibiotic Use among Children: Differences in Relation to the Level of Education of the Parents in the Republic of Srpska Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Antibiotics are often misused, especially for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in children, where their use is unnecessary and leads to antimicrobial resistance. This study sought to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of parents and pediatricians on the use of antibiotics among children and whether the level of education of parents has an impact on their KAP. The research was carried out among 1459 parents of children under 6 years of age and among 18 pediatricians. Sixty percent of pediatricians (61.1%) were prescribed antibiotics daily in their practice. Most of the surveyed parents (98.4%) state that doctors are their main source of information when deciding on the use of antibiotics in the treatment of their children. Parents with a higher level of education use television less often as a source of information when making this decision compared to parents with a lower level of education (p = 0.039, i.e., p = 0.003). The majority of parents (80.7%) knew that Panklav (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) is an antibiotic, while 52.5% identified Pancef (cefixime) as an antibiotic. Parents with a higher level of education correctly identified antibiotics significantly more often (p < 0.001). This study shows that in the Republic of Srpska, parents have adequate knowledge about antibiotics, especially those with a higher level of education, who show better KAP when it comes to antibiotic use.

The transgenerational impact of child abuse. Health professionals' social and values

Introduction: Child abuse is a worrying trend not only in our country but globally. The aim of the article is to present the adverse long-term consequences of child abuse, Adverse Childhood Experiences, which is a classified public health problem according to WHO. The attitude of primary care workers towards the prevention of abuse has a profound impact on the quality of prevention activities. Objective: To assess the knowledge and perceptions of paediatricians, midwives and paediatric nurses working in primary and specialised care about the topic child abuse. Contextualising value judgements and societal perceptions of child abuse in order to break the transgenerational effects. Method: A self-completed online survey was conducted with 49 structured, standardised questions, the data provided insights about the socio-economic status of respondents, their attitudes to the issue of child abuse, their perceptions of the seriousness of the issue and their obligation to report it under the law. Results: Based on our analysis on a sample of 195 respondents, we can conclude that health care workers perceive abuse as clearly harmful, yet it is perceived as a common phenomenon in our country. Nearly one fifth of respondents believe that society is accepting and mildly judges the phenomenon. A significant difference in the perception of abuse by educational level was found between the high and low educated respondents. We also found significant differences in signalling functioning by type of workplace location (p = 0.020) and job category (p = 0.044). Conclusion: The results highlighted that preventive action by health care workers is the key to breaking the transgenerational effects. The authors would like to draw attention to the fact that the improvement of the quality of care depends significantly on the knowledge of professionals. Continuous basic and further training and in-depth knowledge development among primary care workers are necessary.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination on Children During COVID-19 Pandemic: Addressing Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Pediatricians and Pediatric Nurses

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination on Children During COVID-19 Pandemic: Addressing Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Pediatricians and Pediatric Nurses

The Knowledge and Therapeutic Approach of Paediatrician on Functional Constipation

Background: Functional constipation is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders in children under 4 years of age. The Rome IV Criteria have standardized diagnostic criteria for functional constipation. The purpose of the study was to determine the knowledge and therapeutic approach of Indonesian pediatricians to functional constipation.Method: A cross-sectional analytic observational study with the target of 101 pediatricians practicing in the DKI Jakarta area. This study provides an electronic questionnaire which was validated with facial and construct validity and the reliability was determined by Alpha-Cronbach value.Results: The average duration of experience practicing as pediatricians was 6.83 ± 3.96 years, with a range of 5-15 years (66.3%) with the majority working in non-teaching institutions (83.2%). Pediatricians’ knowledge of functional constipation did not show a significant difference in score based on length of experience practicing as a pediatrician (p = 0.738) and place of daily practice (p = 0.690). A Significant difference was seen based on the use of Rome Criteria as a source of information on functional constipation (p = 0.047). Five to fifteen years of experience practicing and teaching hospital as place of daily practice showed a higher therapeutic approach score, although this was not statistically significant. It turned out that using Rome Criteria as a source of information does not give higher therapeutic approach scores.Conclusion: Periodic evaluation of pediatrician's knowledge and therapeutic approach is needed to maintain the quality of functional constipation care.

Impact of presence of paediatric palliative care units in hospitals on the confidence, knowledge and attitudes of paediatricians: the case of Turkey.

Paediatric palliative care (PPC) focuses on improving the quality of life of children dealing with life-threatening conditions, as well as their families. To evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of paediatricians regarding palliative care in Turkey and the impact of PPC units on their confidence and symptom management abilities. This was a multicentre descriptive study conducted in 2019. A questionnaire consisting of 24 questions and 4 parts on palliative care was prepared. Paediatricians in hospitals with or without PPC units completed the questionnaire. Analyses were performed using NCSS 10 (2015) software. There were 199 participants in the study, out of which 55 (27.6%) received palliative care training. One hundred and sixty-seven (83.9%) paediatricians defined palliative care as improving the quality of life of patients in the terminal period, and 77 (38.7%) stated that palliative care can be started after diagnosis. The groups of patients who would benefit from palliative care were most frequently identified as those with diseases that could not be cured (e.g. cystic fibrosis). Paediatricians with a PPC unit in their work environment, compared with those without a PPC unit, were significantly more competent in pain management (36.8% vs 6.4%, P < 0.001), symptom management (42.1% vs 19.2%, P < 0.001), and coping with the psychosocial problems of end-stage paediatric patients (36.8% vs 8.4%, P < 0.001). PPC units in hospitals contributed to paediatricians' ability to manage symptoms and communicate with families. The number of PPC units should be increased, especially in developing countries such as Turkey.