Health professionals’ knowledge of palliative care: Analysis of a Portuguese central hospital
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12707/RV21041Keywords:
palliative care, knowledge, health personnelAbstract
Background: Scientific evidence shows gaps in the knowledge of health professionals about palliative care, influencing the quality of care.
Objective: To characterise health professionals’ knowledge about palliative care in a Portuguese central university hospital.
Methodology: Quantitative, descriptive-correlational, cross-sectional study, with health professionals from a central university hospital as target population. A questionnaire was applied to assess their knowledge about palliative care.
Results: Of the 401 professionals in the sample, 16.96% have experience and 26.18% specific training in palliative care. On average, 80.53% of correct answers were given regarding the philosophy of palliative care. The knowledge about symptom control and family support was negatively correlated with the length of professional experience (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Most professionals demonstrate knowledge in palliative care, however it’s essential to invest in training, particularly in professionals with more length of professional practice.
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References
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