title: Awareness of palliative medicine among Pakistani doctors: a survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the awareness of palliative medicine in Pakistani doctors through a questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was developed after consultation with the professionals working in palliative medicine. It was distributed, by hand, to a convenience sample of doctors who worked at various teaching hospitals in Pakistan. The distribution and collection of questionnaires was carried out within six months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results suggested that 74% doctors felt that cancer was the commonest reason for the palliative care teams to be involved. Forty five percent mentioned tht pain control was their prime job; 54% said that they had some experience of palliative medicine; 64% wanted to be involved in palliative medicine; 60% thought that they broke bad news properly to the patients; 59% were satisfied with their own performance while dealing with an incurable patient (57% said that they had heard about a hospice). There was a wide range of drugs for the cancer pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amongst Pakistani doctors, there is a lack of training in palliative medicine. A significant number of doctors are interested and they are willing to have more training in pain control, breaking bad news, communication skills and terminal care.
authors.affiliation: St. Clare Hospice, Hastingwood, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S Q
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Muhammad
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mubeen
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Abbas
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004501:Education, Medical; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010154:Pakistan; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires