Lulu Tsao1, Sarah E Slater2, Kathleen P Doyle3, Do Duy Cuong4, Quach Thanh Khanh5, Rie Maurer6, Dang Ngoc Minh Thy7, Dang Huy Quoc Thinh5, Tran Diep Tuan8, Do Van Dung8, Luong Ngoc Khue9, Eric L Krakauer10. 1. Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA. Electronic address: lulu.tsao@ucsf.edu. 2. Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Mount Auburn Hospital, Boston, USA. 3. Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA. 4. Bach Mai National Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam. 5. Ho Chi Minh City Cancer Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 6. Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, USA. 7. Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 8. Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 9. Ministry of Health of Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam. 10. Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA; Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Abstract
CONTEXT: Palliative care is rarely accessible in low- and middle-income countries, and lack of adequate training for health care providers is a key reason. In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health, major hospitals and medical universities, and foreign physician-educators have partnered to initiate palliative care training for physicians. OBJECTIVES: To measure the baseline palliative care-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessment of Vietnamese physicians as a basis for curriculum development and to enable evaluation of training courses. METHODS: Before palliative care training courses in Vietnam from 2007 to 2014, we collected data on the participating physicians' demographics, self-assessed competence in palliative care, and palliative care-related knowledge and attitudes. Scores were calculated in three outcome categories-knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessment-and in two subcategories related to physical and psychological symptoms. Associations between the demographic, education, and practice factors and these scores were assessed using linear regression. RESULTS: Among the 392 physicians surveyed, concern about untreated suffering was highly prevalent. 85% felt that most patients with cancer in Vietnam die in pain. On self-assessment, only 8% felt adequately trained in palliative care and the mean knowledge assessment score was 44%. Although 77% had prescribed an opioid in the past year and most had appropriate attitudes toward the use of morphine for pain, the majority reported explicit or implicit restrictions on prescribing morphine. CONCLUSION: There is a great need among Vietnam's physicians for training in palliative care and especially in nonpain and psychological symptom control. Rational, balanced, and clear opioid-prescribing policies are needed to enable physicians to treat pain without fear of repercussions.
CONTEXT: Palliative care is rarely accessible in low- and middle-income countries, and lack of adequate training for health care providers is a key reason. In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health, major hospitals and medical universities, and foreign physician-educators have partnered to initiate palliative care training for physicians. OBJECTIVES: To measure the baseline palliative care-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessment of Vietnamese physicians as a basis for curriculum development and to enable evaluation of training courses. METHODS: Before palliative care training courses in Vietnam from 2007 to 2014, we collected data on the participating physicians' demographics, self-assessed competence in palliative care, and palliative care-related knowledge and attitudes. Scores were calculated in three outcome categories-knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessment-and in two subcategories related to physical and psychological symptoms. Associations between the demographic, education, and practice factors and these scores were assessed using linear regression. RESULTS: Among the 392 physicians surveyed, concern about untreated suffering was highly prevalent. 85% felt that most patients with cancer in Vietnam die in pain. On self-assessment, only 8% felt adequately trained in palliative care and the mean knowledge assessment score was 44%. Although 77% had prescribed an opioid in the past year and most had appropriate attitudes toward the use of morphine for pain, the majority reported explicit or implicit restrictions on prescribing morphine. CONCLUSION: There is a great need among Vietnam's physicians for training in palliative care and especially in nonpain and psychological symptom control. Rational, balanced, and clear opioid-prescribing policies are needed to enable physicians to treat pain without fear of repercussions.