PALLIATIVE CARE - KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS - THE RESULTS OF A QUESTIONNAIRE AFTER TRAINING

A questionnaire about attitudes and knowledge in palliative care treat ment was sent to 185 general practitioners who participated such a sem inar some months before. The response rate was low (69/185). Pain is t he most frequent symptom. All the responding doctors assume they can t reat pain adequately. However, none of them can answer the knowledge q uestions correctly. They appreciate the palliative care organizations for the help in symptom control or for difficulties in psychological s ymptoms. A multifactorial etiology might explain the difficult control of asthenia. This survey agrees with other studies that knowledge in symptom control and palliative care should be improved.