Perspectives on palliative care in Lebanon: knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical and nursing specialties.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of physicians and nurses on Palliative Care (PC) in Lebanon, across specialties.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional descriptive survey using a self-administered questionnaire; the total number of completed and returned questionnaires was 868, giving a 23% response rate, including 74.31% nurses (645) and 25.69% physicians (223).


RESULTS
Significant differences were found between medical and surgical nurses and physicians concerning their perceptions of patients' and families' outbursts, concerns, and questions. Knowledge scores were statistically associated with practice scores and degree. Practice scores were positively associated with continuing education in PC, exposure to terminally ill patients, and knowledge and attitude scores. Acute critical care and oncology were found to have lower practice scores than other specialties.


CONCLUSIONS
Formal education in palliative care and development of palliative care services are very much needed in Lebanon to provide holistic care to terminally ill patients.
Abu-Saad Huijer
Huda
H
School of Nursing, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. huda.huijer@aub.edu.lb
Dimassi
Hani
H
Abboud
Sarah
S
D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D008511:Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D013041:Specialties, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology