Primary Care Physicians’ Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Palliative Care in Northeast Malaysia

Abstract

Palliative care in Malaysia has progressed steadily since its inception in 1991, and it has been integrated gradually into primary health care in the past decade. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge and the attitudes towards palliative care and its associated factors among primary care physicians. A cross-sectional study was conducted among primary care physicians using two validated questionnaires: the Palliative Care Knowledge Test (PCKT) and Frommelt’s Attitude Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD). The data were analysed using descriptive and linear regression statistics. A total of 241 primary care physicians from 27 different health clinics participated in the study. The mean PCKT score was 8.68 (2.94), whereas the mean FATCOD score was 106.8 (9.14). The maximum score for each questionnaire was 20 and 150, respectively. There was a significant positive relationship between knowledge and attitudes toward palliative care, with a p-value of 0.003 (CI 0.22–1.04) and an r-value of 0.42. Palliative care knowledge among primary care physicians is still low despite their overall positive attitude towards the service. This finding suggests the urgent need for more education and training on palliative care for primary care physicians in Malaysia.