Attitudes and perceptions of Irish health care professionals regarding functional neurological disorder: A national survey

Abstract

Background: Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common and often disabling condition. Limited access to services for FND poses challenges both for patients and their health care providers. This survey explored the attitudes, experiences, support needs and training needs of health care professionals (HCPs) who provide care to individuals with FND in Ireland. Methods: A broad range of HCPs working with patients with FND in Ireland partook in an anonymous online 12-item survey. Participants were recruited via professional bodies and snowball convenience sampling utilising social media and email invitation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze data. Results: A total of 314 HCPs working in Ireland completed the survey. 80% were female and over half worked in their current role for more than 10 years. 75% of the sample encountered three or less individuals with FND per month. Identified service-related challenges to effective patient care included insufficient clinic time, lack of confidence explaining the diagnosis, and the need for greater access to specialist support. Data revealed persisting negative attitudes toward FND patients among a proportion of respondents. The majority of respondents did not feel they received adequate education on FND, with the exception of neurologists, of whom 65% felt adequately trained. The majority of respondents (85%) also felt that people with FND did not have access to appropriate FND services in Ireland. Conclusion: This study indicates that there is a significant need to improve FND education among HCPs in Ireland, in addition to developing appropriately resourced, integrated, multidisciplinary care pathways for the FND patient group.