title: Attitudes of general practitioners in Bizkaia, Spain, towards the terminally ill patient.
abstract: This paper reports the results of a survey of general practitioners in Biscay which investigated the types of narcotics used in the treatment of chronic malignant pain, the degree of their use and the difficulties encountered both in the use of narcotics and the general care of the terminally ill patient. We found that (1) 50% of the doctors surveyed used narcotics in the treatment of at least 60% of their patients with terminal disease; (2) morphine is the most frequently used narcotic, usually being given orally, and (3) those who completed the questionnaire showed themselves to be highly motivated when treating terminally ill patients. However, they considered that their motivation exceeded their level of competence and, according to the majority, collaboration between the different health services and the formation of interdisciplinary teams would be the best way to facilitate an increase in competence.
authors.affiliation: Galdakao Health Centre.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lopez de Maturana
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morago
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: San Emeterio
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gorostiza
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Arrate
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003625:Data Collection; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013030:Spain; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics