Scholarlink

Background <p>Early integration of palliative care for patients with advanced cancer is recommended by major organizations and guidelines, yet palliative care is often still perceived as end-of-life care or as incompatible with active oncological treatment. Such misconceptions may delay timely integration. </p> Methods <p>We conducted a cross-sectional mixed-methods survey among healthcare professionals in oncology services in Ostrobothnia, Finland. The survey included 15 Likert-scale statements (1–5) addressing perceived knowledge, values and role beliefs, and perceived capacity and support, plus one free-text question: “What is palliative care?”. Likert responses were summarized descriptively and compared across demographic groups using non-parametric tests. Free-text responses were coded using a predefined framework of 25 themes derived from the WHO definition of palliative care and Finnish national quality recommendations, generating a binary concept-coverage score (0–25). Responses were also classified for an end-of-life/non-concurrent conceptualization (“non-concurrent framing”). Group differences in concept-coverage scores were tested using Mann–Whitney U.</p> Results <p>Ninety-six professionals completed the survey (response rate 88.1%); 95 responded to the free-text item. While participants strongly endorsed statements about palliative care benefits and values, endorsement was lower for perceived competence and lowest for resources and support. Nearly one-third of participants expressed a non-concurrent/end-of-life framing of palliative care in their free-text definition. Concept-coverage scores were significantly lower among participants with non-concurrent framing compared with those without, particularly framework categories related to practical factors and system-level drivers.</p> Conclusion <p>The open-ended responses indicated variability in the conceptualization of palliative care, including descriptions consistent with an end-of-life or non-concurrent view. This pattern identifies a potential target for education and implementation aligned with national guidance and quality recommendations.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Healthcare professionals’ conceptualizations of palliative care and readiness for early integration: a cross‑sectional mixed‑methods survey in Finland

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月16日

查看全文
  • Ebba Åström,
  • Ella Saaranen,
  • Heidi Andersén,
  • Mikael Johansson,
  • Nelli-Sofia Nåhls

摘要

Background

Early integration of palliative care for patients with advanced cancer is recommended by major organizations and guidelines, yet palliative care is often still perceived as end-of-life care or as incompatible with active oncological treatment. Such misconceptions may delay timely integration.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional mixed-methods survey among healthcare professionals in oncology services in Ostrobothnia, Finland. The survey included 15 Likert-scale statements (1–5) addressing perceived knowledge, values and role beliefs, and perceived capacity and support, plus one free-text question: “What is palliative care?”. Likert responses were summarized descriptively and compared across demographic groups using non-parametric tests. Free-text responses were coded using a predefined framework of 25 themes derived from the WHO definition of palliative care and Finnish national quality recommendations, generating a binary concept-coverage score (0–25). Responses were also classified for an end-of-life/non-concurrent conceptualization (“non-concurrent framing”). Group differences in concept-coverage scores were tested using Mann–Whitney U.

Results

Ninety-six professionals completed the survey (response rate 88.1%); 95 responded to the free-text item. While participants strongly endorsed statements about palliative care benefits and values, endorsement was lower for perceived competence and lowest for resources and support. Nearly one-third of participants expressed a non-concurrent/end-of-life framing of palliative care in their free-text definition. Concept-coverage scores were significantly lower among participants with non-concurrent framing compared with those without, particularly framework categories related to practical factors and system-level drivers.

Conclusion

The open-ended responses indicated variability in the conceptualization of palliative care, including descriptions consistent with an end-of-life or non-concurrent view. This pattern identifies a potential target for education and implementation aligned with national guidance and quality recommendations.