title: Mismatch between physicians and family members views on communications about patients with chronic incurable diseases receiving care in critical and intensive care settings in Georgia: a quantitative observational survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physicians working in critical and intensive care settings encounter death of chronic incurable patients on a daily basis; however they have scant skills on how to communicate with the patients and their family members. The aim of the present survey is to examine communication of critical and intensive care physicians with patients' family members receiving treatment due to chronic incurable diseases/conditions and to compare the views of families with physicians working in critical and intensive care settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey was conducted in four cities of Georgia (Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi and Telavi) in 2014. Physicians working in critical and intensive care settings and family members were asked to fill in separate questionnaires, covering various aspects of communication including patients' prognosis, ways of death occurrence, treatment plans and religion. Participants ranked their responses on a scale ranging from "0" to "10", where "0" represented "never" and "10"-"always". After data collection, responses were recoded into three categories: 0-3 = never/rarely, 4-7 = somewhat and 8-10 = often/always. Differences were tested using Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's exact test as appropriate. P value of < 0.05 was considered as significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five physicians and 59 patients' family members participated in this cross-sectional study. Majority of their responses was statistically significantly different. Only one quarter (23.7 %) of family members of patients receiving medical aid in critical and intensive care settings were satisfied with the communication level. In contrast, 78.5 % of physicians considered their communication with families as positive (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The survey revealed the mismatch between the views on communication of critical and intensive care settings physicians and family members of the patients with chronic incurable diseases receiving care in critical and intensive care settings. In order to provide the best care for chronic incurable patients and their family members, physicians working in critical and intensive care settings must have relevant clinical knowledge and ability to provide effective communication. Present results reflect important potential targets for educational interventions including critical and intensive care physicians training through online modules.
authors.affiliation: Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), Tbilisi, Georgia. nanuka.chikhladze@yahoo.com.|Georgian National Association for Palliative Care, Tbilisi, Georgia. nanuka.chikhladze@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Nana
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8445-1022
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chikhladze
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Palliative Care, of Al. Natishvili Institute of Morphology, TSU, Tbilisi, Georgia.|Georgian National Association for Palliative Care, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Elene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Janberidze
authors.affiliation: Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), Tbilisi, Georgia.|Georgian National Association for Palliative Care, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velijanashvili
authors.affiliation: Georgian National Association for Palliative Care, Tbilisi, Georgia.|Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Nikoloz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chkhartishvili
authors.affiliation: Georgian National Association for Palliative Care, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Memed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jintcharadze
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verne
authors.affiliation: Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), Tbilisi, Georgia.|Department of Gerontology and Palliative Care, of Al. Natishvili Institute of Morphology, TSU, Tbilisi, Georgia.|Georgian National Association for Palliative Care, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kordzaia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003142:Communication; D003422:Critical Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005846:Georgia (Republic); D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019452:Terminally Ill; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Critical/Intensive care physicians; Mismatch in views on communications; Observational survey; Palliative care; Patients’ family members