Factors Influencing the Knowledge and Attitudes of Hospice Care Practitioners in Guangxi, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose

Practitioners in China who implement hospice care services include doctors, nurses, and care workers. These individuals play an important role in the holistic care of patients at the end of life and their families. This study aimed to provide baseline data to develop hospice care services and improve relevant policies by investigating the knowledge and attitudes of hospice care practitioners (HCPs) and analyzing influencing factors.

Methods

This cross-sectional descriptive study used stratified sampling and quota sampling. The HCPs were from nursing homes, medical institutions, integrated medical and nursing institutions, and community health service centers in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. We examined HCPs’ demographic characteristics and scores on a self-designed Chinese scale to measure their knowledge and attitudes(K&A scale). A total of 1821 HCPs completed surveys from May 2022 to July 2022. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, univariate analysis and multiple linear regression.

Results

The standard score of the K&A scale of 1821 HCPs was 61.62 (SD=9.78), and the individual mean scores of knowledge and attitudes were 76.42 (SD=28.13) and 58.69 (SD=11.31), respectively. The final multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the main factors that influenced the K&A score were monthly income, job satisfaction, and the hospice care-related system (HCS).

Conclusion

The HCPs in this study displayed moderate mean scores for knowledge and a less favorable attitude toward hospice care. Monthly income, job satisfaction and the HCS were the common factors that influenced HCPs’ K&A. The results suggest the need to strengthen targeted and professional training for HCPs, increase their welfare and benefits, and improve indigenous policies of hospice care.

Keywords:

• attitudes
• hospice care practitioners
• hospice care-related system
• knowledge

Acknowledgments

We would like to extremely thank the hospice care practitioners for their participation in the study. Besides, the pdf file ”A preprint has previously been published in the Research Square and the Europe PMC”, https://europepmc.org/article/ppr/ppr679116.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

The study procedures involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (No.2022-KY0773), in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This study received support from the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Grant Nos. 22FRK004), The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Grant Nos. GXMUYSF202379).