title: [Qualitative analysis of palliative care and support in medical practices in DRC].
abstract: This work aims at documenting the representations that health professionals in Kinshasa have of palliative care and end-of-life support. This qualitative study was conducted among 30 doctors and 90 nurses with at least one year of experience in six hospitals in Kinshasa that receive patients at the end of life. The results show that health professionals believe that this care is time-consuming and that the inability to say some things to patients and families generates misunderstandings and concerns likely to prevent the application of palliative care. For them, it is often a futile therapeutic obstinacy, added hygienic care, and neglect of the patient. The obstacles to implementing this care might be linked to the lack of training about this approach and a health system based essentially on curative approaches. The representation of health professionals about palliative care and support are many and varied. They are, however, more structured among physicians than nurses.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en politiques et systèmes de santé - Santé internationale, École de santé publique, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), route de Lennik 808, CP 596, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgique.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lofandjola Masumbuku
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en politiques et systèmes de santé - Santé internationale, École de santé publique, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), route de Lennik 808, CP 596, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgique.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Coppieters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D013727:Terminal Care
keywords: health professionals; palliative care; representation