[Domiciliary care of the terminal cancer patient: evaluation and proposals by physicians and nurses].
Aten Primaria 1994;
13:291-9. [PMID:
8204780]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To detect problems that terminal cancer patients pose to primary health care (PHC) professionals.
DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.
SETTING
PHC professionals of the Manresa (province of Barcelona) health Sector of the National Health System.
PARTICIPANTS
151 professionals (87 physicians and 64 nurses).
MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS
Self-responded anonymous questionnaire. Dates: 10-20 December, 1990; response rate: 89%. Most participants said in the previous year they were responsible for 3 or more home terminal cancer patients. 35.6% said emergencies were handled in a hospital; professionals working in non-urban areas and in the non-reformed Primary Care system less often used hospitals. Access to consultants was deemed difficult by most interviewees, but most said consultants' reports were good or excellent; physicians valued reports higher than nurses (odds ratio [OR] = 5.43, P < 0.001). Most participants reported continuous education to be scarce or nonexistent. Also, most said care given to terminal cancer patients was inadequate; younger professionals (p = 0.001) y and those working in the reformed Primary Care system (P = 0.003) were more critical.
CONCLUSIONS
Interest of primary care professionals in terminal cancer patients was higher in less populated areas, among those having a permanent contract and in the reformed system.
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