Brazilian physicians' attitudes and feelings towards palliative care in pediatrics

Abstract

Abstract Fundamentals: Pediatric palliative care is defined as a care network whose objective is to improve the quality of life of children and adolescents with a disease that threatens the continuity of life and that of their families. In this context, the feelings and attitudes of the team responsible for palliation are evident. To assess and understand the feelings and attitudes of Brazilian physicians regarding the implementation of palliative care in pediatric patients. Methods: Between July 2018 and December 2019, 236 questionnaires were sent to physicians on the National Academy of Palliative Care list. The data collected through the intended questionnaires were analyzed using the programs IRAMUTEQ (Interface de R pour les Analyzes Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires). Results: Based on the analysis performed by IRAMUTEQ, a dendrogram was obtained, containing words with p<0.05. Feelings of sadness, anguish, relief, regret and fulfillment were perceived as relevant. Relevant attitudes, understanding, communication, instructing, dealing well, strategy and multi-professional conferences were described. Thus, it was noticed that these professionals experience different contradictory feelings and make use of different strategies so that they do not harm the treatment performed, in addition to maintaining a good relationship with the patient's family. Conclusion: In the present study, we demonstrate that there are intrinsic characteristics of pediatric palliative care that are a source of mixed feelings for medical professionals. In this context, there are still several feelings, attitudes and challenges. New studies addressing this topic are essential. Attention to these feelings promotes better management of palliative care in pediatrics.