title: Can Croatian medicine do without palliative medicine?--Study investigating the need for formal education.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the public's, i.e. citizens' attitude on one hand, and health-care professionals' attitude on the other, regarding the public education in palliative care. Also, the assessment of health-care professionals' attitude regarding the need to establish a sub-specialty in palliative medicine in Croatia was performed. The study was carried out during 2007 and 2008 in the capitals of 7 Croatian counties, involving 2353 participants. Two types of anonymous questionnaire were distributed. Citizens were surveyed at public places, business offices, waiting rooms, while health-care professionals were surveyed in medical centers. The survey was conducted personally by the authors, i.e. "face to face" with the respondents. The collected data were entered into a database and analyzed, taking into account the anonymity, privacy and data confidentiality. The response rate was 99% for the public and 97% for health-care professionals. 44% of the public thought that educating the public in palliative care is absolutely necessary, and 42% that it is mostly necessary; compared with 47% of health-care professionals who thought education was absolutely necessary, and 45% who thought it is mostly necessary. In addition, health-care professionals were asked about their opinion regarding the establishment of a sub-specialty in palliative medicine and 76% of respondents considered it absolutely necessary. Both the public and health-care professionals recognize the need for public education in palliative care. The authors wish to especially emphasize health-care professionals' perception of a great need for the establishment of an official medical curriculum and a medical sub-specialty in palliative medicine.
authors.affiliation: University of Zagreb, University Hospital Centre Sestre milosrdnice, Department of Traumatology, Zagreb, Croatia. cengict@me.com
authors.forename: Tomislav
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cengić
authors.affiliation: Medical Clinic Sveti Rok, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Morana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brkljacić
authors.affiliation: Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorsko-Goranska County, Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Iva Sorta-Bilajac
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Turina
authors.affiliation: University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Stipe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corluka
authors.affiliation: University of Rijeka, School of Medicine, Department for Medical Informatics, Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mavrinac
authors.affiliation: University of Rijeka, School of Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ante
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rotim
authors.affiliation: University of Zagreb, University Hospital Centre Sestre milosrdnice, Department of Traumatology, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kolundzić
authors.affiliation: University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Racz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017523:Croatia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010166:Palliative Care; D018907:Privacy