Palliative care in the emergency department: An observational study of doctors in KwaZulu-Natal

IF 1.2 Q2 MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL

South African Family Practice Pub Date : 2024-04-19 DOI:10.4102/safp.v66i1.5860

Nagaleswari Sriranganathan, David Morris, Laura Campbell, Richard Hift

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: The World Health Organization advocates the early, appropriate provision of palliative care (PC) to patients throughout the life course. Patient consultations to the emergency department (ED) have been recognised as opportunities to initiate or optimise their PC needs. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of and attitudes towards PC among doctors at emergency physician staffed EDs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2021 and February 2022 for doctors employed out at emergency physician staffed EDs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, using the validated Palliative Care Attitude and Knowledge questionnaire. The variables assessed were the self-rated and basic knowledge and attitudes towards core domains of PC. Ordinal data were compared using the t-test or ANOVA as appropriate, using MedCalc® Statistical Software version 22.009.Results: Of the 39 participants, the scores for the knowledge questions showed that 15.3% participants had good knowledge, 53.8% had fair knowledge and 30.7% had poor knowledge. Participants had either favourable (58.8%) or an uncertain (41.0%) attitude towards PC. No correlation was seen between the knowledge and attitudes scores (Spearman’s rho = 0.13, 95% CI –0.19 to 0.43, p = 0.43).Conclusion: There appears to be a deficit in knowledge of PC among doctors in the ED and a need for in-service training in PC for emergency care physicians.Contribution: This study provides new knowledge around PC practices at EDs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

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急诊科的姑息关怀：对夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省医生的观察研究

背景：世界卫生组织提倡在患者的整个生命过程中尽早为其提供适当的姑息关怀（PC）。在急诊科（ED）就诊的病人被认为是启动或优化其姑息关怀需求的机会。本研究旨在评估南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省有急诊科医生的急诊科医生对姑息关怀的认识和态度：在 2021 年 11 月至 2022 年 2 月期间，使用经过验证的姑息关怀态度和知识问卷对南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省由急诊科医生负责的急诊室外聘医生进行了横断面调查。评估的变量是对姑息关怀核心领域的自评、基本知识和态度。使用 MedCalc® 统计软件 22.009 版，酌情使用 t 检验或方差分析对序数数据进行比较：在 39 名参与者中，知识问题的得分显示，15.3% 的参与者知识良好，53.8% 的参与者知识一般，30.7% 的参与者知识较差。参试者对个人电脑的态度是好的（58.8%）或不确定的（41.0%）。知识得分与态度得分之间没有相关性（Spearman's rho = 0.13，95% CI -0.19-0.43，p = 0.43）：结论：看来急诊科医生对个人防护知识缺乏了解，急诊科医生需要接受个人防护方面的在职培训：本研究提供了有关南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省急诊室 PC 实践的新知识。

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来源期刊

South African Family Practice MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL-

CiteScore

1.50

自引率

20.00%

发文量

审稿时长

25 weeks

期刊介绍： South African Family Practice (SAFP) is a peer-reviewed scientific journal, which strives to provide primary care physicians and researchers with a broad range of scholarly work in the disciplines of Family Medicine, Primary Health Care, Rural Medicine, District Health and other related fields. SAFP publishes original research, clinical reviews, and pertinent commentary that advance the knowledge base of these disciplines. The content of SAFP is designed to reflect and support further development of the broad basis of these disciplines through original research and critical review of evidence in important clinical areas; as well as to provide practitioners with continuing professional development material.