[Terminal care of patients by the general practitioner and the specialist. Results of a French survey "Attitudes and practices in palliative treatment--2002"].
OBJECTIVE
Assess the attitude of the practitioners with regard to the management of patients at the end of their lives, depending on the physician/patient communication and treatment of pain. Method Statistical analysis of the data collected among 1,000 practitioners recruited for a survey on knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding palliative care in 2002.


RESULTS
The practitioners who felt "ill at ease" in the management of patients at the end of their life often had a poor opinion regarding morphine and did not systematically their patients of the therapeutic aims.


CONCLUSIONS
Greater awareness by the practitioners of palliative care would help to improve the quality of care supplied to terminally ill patients.
Ben Diane
M K
MK
Observatoire régional de la santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Unité 379 de I'INSERM, Marseille (13). bendiane@marseille.inserm.fr
Pegliasco
H
H
Galinier
A
A
Lapiana
J M
JM
Favre
R
R
Peretti-Watel
P
P
Obadia
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D013038:Specialization; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods*
D009020:Morphine