Factors influencing GPs’ perception of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC) importance – results of a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background General Practitioners (GPs) are the main providers of primary palliative care (PPC). At the same time they are the main initiators of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC). In Germany, little is known about factors which influence GPs in their involvement of SPHC. Aim of our stu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Palliative Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12904-020-00603-3 |
| _version_ | 1819119708495937536 |
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| author | K. Stichling M. Krause B. Ditscheid M. Hach M. Jansky M. Kaufmann T. Lehmann W. Meißner F. Nauck W. Schneider S. Schulz H. C. Vollmar U. Wedding J. Bleidorn A. Freytag the SAVOIR Study Group |
| author_facet | K. Stichling M. Krause B. Ditscheid M. Hach M. Jansky M. Kaufmann T. Lehmann W. Meißner F. Nauck W. Schneider S. Schulz H. C. Vollmar U. Wedding J. Bleidorn A. Freytag the SAVOIR Study Group |
| author_sort | K. Stichling |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background General Practitioners (GPs) are the main providers of primary palliative care (PPC). At the same time they are the main initiators of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC). In Germany, little is known about factors which influence GPs in their involvement of SPHC. Aim of our study is to identify factors that drive GPs to give value to and involve SPHC. Methods A cross-sectional survey was performed. In 2018, questionnaires were mailed to 6000 randomly selected GPs from eight German federal states, focusing on the extent of GPs’ palliative care activities and their involvement of SPHC. Results With a response rate of 19.4% and exclusion of GPs working in SPHC-teams, n = 1026 questionnaires were appropriate for analysis. GPs valued SPHC support as the most “important/very important” for both “technical/invasive treatment measures” (95%) and availability outside practice opening hours (92%). The most relevant factor influencing perceived SPHC-importance was GPs’ self-reported extent of engagement in palliative care (β = − 0.283; CI 95% = − 0.384;−0.182), followed by the perceived quality of utilised SPHC (β = 0.119; CI 95% = 0.048;0.190), involvement in treatment of palliative patients after SPHC initiation (β = 0.088; CI 95% = 0.042;0.134), and conviction that palliative care should be a central part of GPs’ work (β = − 0.062; CI 95% = − 0.116;−0.008). Perceived SPHC-importance is also associated with SPHC-referrals (β =0.138; p < 0.001). The lower the engagement of GPs in palliative care, the more they involve SPHC and vice versa. Conclusions GPs with low reported activity in palliative care are more likely to initialise SPHC for palliative care activities they do not deliver themselves for various reasons, which might mean that the involvement of SPHC is substitutive instead of complementary to primary palliative care. This finding and its interpretation should be given more attention in the future policy framework for (specialised) palliative homecare. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00014726 , 14.05.2018. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T06:09:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6433bf2cdcda411b9f32964b57535538 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-684X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T06:09:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Palliative Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-6433bf2cdcda411b9f32964b575355382022-12-21T18:36:17ZengBMCBMC Palliative Care1472-684X2020-08-011911910.1186/s12904-020-00603-3Factors influencing GPs’ perception of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC) importance – results of a cross-sectional studyK. Stichling0M. Krause1B. Ditscheid2M. Hach3M. Jansky4M. Kaufmann5T. Lehmann6W. Meißner7F. Nauck8W. Schneider9S. Schulz10H. C. Vollmar11U. Wedding12J. Bleidorn13A. Freytag14the SAVOIR Study GroupInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University HospitalInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University HospitalInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University HospitalGerman Working Group for SAPVClinic for Palliative Medicine, University Medical Center GöttingenInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University HospitalCenter for Clinical Studies, Jena University HospitalDepartment of Palliative Care, Jena University HospitalClinic for Palliative Medicine, University Medical Center GöttingenCenter for Interdisciplinary Health Research, University of AugsburgInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University HospitalInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University HospitalDepartment of Palliative Care, Jena University HospitalInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University HospitalInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Jena University HospitalAbstract Background General Practitioners (GPs) are the main providers of primary palliative care (PPC). At the same time they are the main initiators of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC). In Germany, little is known about factors which influence GPs in their involvement of SPHC. Aim of our study is to identify factors that drive GPs to give value to and involve SPHC. Methods A cross-sectional survey was performed. In 2018, questionnaires were mailed to 6000 randomly selected GPs from eight German federal states, focusing on the extent of GPs’ palliative care activities and their involvement of SPHC. Results With a response rate of 19.4% and exclusion of GPs working in SPHC-teams, n = 1026 questionnaires were appropriate for analysis. GPs valued SPHC support as the most “important/very important” for both “technical/invasive treatment measures” (95%) and availability outside practice opening hours (92%). The most relevant factor influencing perceived SPHC-importance was GPs’ self-reported extent of engagement in palliative care (β = − 0.283; CI 95% = − 0.384;−0.182), followed by the perceived quality of utilised SPHC (β = 0.119; CI 95% = 0.048;0.190), involvement in treatment of palliative patients after SPHC initiation (β = 0.088; CI 95% = 0.042;0.134), and conviction that palliative care should be a central part of GPs’ work (β = − 0.062; CI 95% = − 0.116;−0.008). Perceived SPHC-importance is also associated with SPHC-referrals (β =0.138; p < 0.001). The lower the engagement of GPs in palliative care, the more they involve SPHC and vice versa. Conclusions GPs with low reported activity in palliative care are more likely to initialise SPHC for palliative care activities they do not deliver themselves for various reasons, which might mean that the involvement of SPHC is substitutive instead of complementary to primary palliative care. This finding and its interpretation should be given more attention in the future policy framework for (specialised) palliative homecare. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00014726 , 14.05.2018.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12904-020-00603-3General practicePrimary palliative careSpecialised palliative homecareHome care serviceSurveys and questionnairesCross-sectional survey |
| spellingShingle | K. Stichling M. Krause B. Ditscheid M. Hach M. Jansky M. Kaufmann T. Lehmann W. Meißner F. Nauck W. Schneider S. Schulz H. C. Vollmar U. Wedding J. Bleidorn A. Freytag the SAVOIR Study Group Factors influencing GPs’ perception of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC) importance – results of a cross-sectional study BMC Palliative Care General practice Primary palliative care Specialised palliative homecare Home care service Surveys and questionnaires Cross-sectional survey |
| title | Factors influencing GPs’ perception of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC) importance – results of a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Factors influencing GPs’ perception of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC) importance – results of a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Factors influencing GPs’ perception of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC) importance – results of a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors influencing GPs’ perception of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC) importance – results of a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Factors influencing GPs’ perception of specialised palliative homecare (SPHC) importance – results of a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | factors influencing gps perception of specialised palliative homecare sphc importance results of a cross sectional study |
| topic | General practice Primary palliative care Specialised palliative homecare Home care service Surveys and questionnaires Cross-sectional survey |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12904-020-00603-3 |
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