Abstract 1281P
Background
In Panama cancer is one of the leading causes of death. The palliative care need is growing and there is limited training on palliative care for health professionals in our country. To address and understand this unmet situation a national survey of non-oncologist Panamanian physicians was done to evaluate their confidence to handle palliative situations and their disposition to take palliative care courses.
Methods
A survey was sent through mail and physicians’ group in which self-estimation of confidence about somatic, psychological, and spiritual aspects of care was evaluated and the disposition to take palliative care courses in the future. Variable comparisons were done using the chi-squared test.
Results
340 physicians answered the questionnaire. Median age 42years (23-77). 53% women and 42% males. 156 (46%) general practitioners and 183 (54%) non oncologist specialists. 226 (67%) did not have previous palliative care courses, 70 (23%) took courses less than 3 months, and 10 (3%) have a Master's degree in Palliative Care. Overall, only 8% to 20% of physicians declared a high level of confidence in dealing with palliative care issues. Pain management, basic principles of palliative care, and accompaniment of terminally ill and dying patients questions showed a lack of self-confidence greater than 50% among physicians. Variables associated with lack of self-confidence were age (p=0.001), type of practice (p=0.032) no previous palliative course (p< 0.001), and burden of chronic patients in usual practice (p=0.002). Female sex was associated with a lack of self-confidence only in explaining to a patient the inability to cure (p=0.043). 88% of physicians considered that in Panama palliative care access for patients is a problem and 91% of participants are interested in taking palliative care educational courses.
Conclusions
This study identifies physicians’ limited self-confidence in palliative care in Panama and underlines the importance of integrating a palliative care curriculum in continuing medical education and undergraduate programs.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.