Collaboration between physicians and a hospital-based palliative care team in a general acute-care hospital in Japan

Clicks: 359
ID: 98191
2010

Abstract

Background

Continual collaboration between physicians and hospital-based palliative care teams represents a very important contributor to focusing on patients' symptoms and maintaining their quality of life during all stages of their illness. However, the traditionally late introduction of palliative care has caused misconceptions about hospital-based palliative care teams (PCTs) among patients and general physicians in Japan. The objective of this study is to identify the factors related to physicians' attitudes toward continual collaboration with hospital-based PCTs.

Methods

This cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire-based survey was conducted to clarify physicians' attitudes toward continual collaboration with PCTs and to describe the factors that contribute to such attitudes. We surveyed 339 full-time physicians, including interns, employed in a general acute-care hospital in an urban area in Japan; the response rate was 53% (N = 155). We assessed the basic characteristics, experience, knowledge, and education of respondents. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the main factors affecting the physicians' attitudes toward PCTs.

Results

We found that the physicians who were aware of the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder were 6.7 times (OR = 6.7, 95% CI = 1.98-25.79) more likely to want to treat and care for their patients in collaboration with the hospital-based PCTs than were those physicians without such awareness.

Conclusion

Basic knowledge of palliative care is important in promoting physicians' positive attitudes toward collaboration with hospital-based PCTs.

Reference Key
mariko2010collaborationbmc Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Mariko, Nishikitani;Masayo, Kashiwakgi;Mikako, Okuno;Nanako, Tamiya;Etsuko, Aruga;
Journal bmc palliative care
Year 2010
DOI DOI not found
URL
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-684X/9/13
Keywords
Nursing Therapeutics. Pharmacology Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) environmental sciences education (general) transportation engineering urbanization. city and country special situations and conditions special aspects of education

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