Necesidades formativas en la atención a pacientes oncológicos en Castilla-La Mancha

Abstract

Objective: To determine the training required in the care of cancer patients. Method: A cross-sectional study was performed, based on survey of family doctors in Health Centres of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. The survey was designed ad hoc and included questions about training needs in caring for cancer patients, in terminal phase and survivors (level 0-5), safety management, opinion about who should care for these patients, communication with oncologist and palliative care unit, and involvement in oncological patient care. For statistical analysis we used Pearson Chi-square, Student t test and Spearman's rho coefficient. Results: A total of 172 doctors responded (14.9% of the population) with a mean age of 49.1 years and 51.2% were male. The mean number of terminals patients per year was 3.9. The most required training need was related to care for survivors (3.44). Better care for emergency terminal patients (3.77) was one of the most mentioned. In general, women had a greater perception of training needs (3.44 vs. 3.21; P=.045). Over two-thirds (69.2%) has attended a training course in the last 5 years. Safety in the management of cancer is rated as 'medium' by 74.4%, and is inversely related to the need for training, and is higher in men. Just under two-thirds (65.1%) believe that the person with the greatest responsibility for the management of patients with cancer should be the oncologist, and the rest with the family doctor when it comes to terminal patients (according to 43.9%) or survivors (70.4%). Communication with the oncologist is "poor or very poor" according to 53.2%, the percentage being 9.3% when referring to the Palliative Unit. The level of involvement with these patients was adequate according to 70.3%. Lack of experience (31.6%) was considered as the most important reason for this hypothetical lack of involvement. Conclusions: Training needs could be considered as medium/high by those surveyed, although in general they felt reasonably prepared to treat these patients. Lack of experience and training can be factors that limit the involvement of the family doctor. © 2011 Sociedad Española de Cuidados Paliativos. Published by Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.