Influencing factors of the knowledge, attitude, and practice of hospice care practitioners in Guangxi, China: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Background The practitioners in China who implement hospice care service include doctors, nurses, and care workers, they play an important role in the holistic care of end-stage patients and their families. This study is to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of hospice care practitioners and analyze its influencing factors. Methods Using the social-demographic questionnaire and a self-designed Chinese version scale of hospice care practitioners’ knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP scale). A total of 1821 hospice care practitioners were completed a survey from May 2022 to July 2022. Data were analyzed by using descriptive, univariate analysis and multiple linear regression. Results The mean score of the KAP scale of 1821 hospice care practitioners was 74.31 (SD = 8.14), the individual mean score of knowledge, attitude and practices were 76.42 (SD = 28.13), 73.43 (SD = 13.15), 58.31 (SD = 12.22), respectively. Our final multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the main influencing factors of KAP score were education, monthly income, frequency of Hospice care training, job satisfaction, practitioners’ physical condition, Hospice care-related system. Conclusions Hospice care practitioners in this study displayed moderate mean scores for both knowledge and practices, and a less favorable attitude towards hospice care. Monthly income, job satisfaction and Hospice care-related system were the common influencing factors of Hospice care practitioners’ knowledge, attitude, and practices. The results suggested that the necessity to strengthen professional training for hospice care practitioners and increasing their welfare&benefit, besides, improve indigenous policies of hospice care should be particularly focused on.