TY - JOUR
T1 - Outcome evaluation of the palliative care emphasis program on symptom management and assessment for continuous medical education
T2 - Nationwide physician education project for primary palliative care in Japan
AU - Yamamoto, Ryo
AU - Kizawa, Yoshiyuki
AU - Nakazawa, Yoko
AU - Ohde, Sachiko
AU - Tetsumi, Sato
AU - Miyashita, Mitsunori
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - Objective: Palliative care is an essential part of medicine, but most physicians have had no formal opportunity to acquire basic skills in palliative care. In Japan, the Palliative care Emphasis program on symptom management and Assessment for Continuous Medical Education (PEACE) was launched to provide formal primary palliative care education for all physicians engaged in cancer care. This study sought to determine whether PEACE could improve physicians' knowledge of, practices in, and difficulties with palliative care.Methods: In 2011, we conducted questionnaire-based surveys before, just after, and 2 months after completion of the PEACE program in physicians participating in the program at each of 15 designated cancer hospitals in Japan. Knowledge was measured using the palliative care knowledge questionnaire for PEACE (PEACE-Q). Practices and difficulties were evaluated using the Palliative Care self-reported Practice Scale (PCPS) and the Palliative Care Difficulties Scale (PCDS), respectively.Results: Among 223 physicians participating in the program, 85 (38%) answered the follow-up survey. Significant improvements were noted on the PEACE-Q compared with baseline immediately after completion of the program, and this progress was maintained at 2 months (21.7±5.56 versus 29.5±2.10 versus 28.7±3.28, respectively; p<0.0001). Similarly, significant improvements were noted for total scores on both the PCPS and the PCDS at 2 months after completion of the program (62.1±13.9 versus 69.6±9.94 [p<0.0001] for the PCPS; 44.4±9.96 versus 39.4±10.7 [p<0.0001] for the PCDS).Conclusions: The PEACE education program improved physicians' knowledge of, practices in, and difficulties with palliative care.
AB - Objective: Palliative care is an essential part of medicine, but most physicians have had no formal opportunity to acquire basic skills in palliative care. In Japan, the Palliative care Emphasis program on symptom management and Assessment for Continuous Medical Education (PEACE) was launched to provide formal primary palliative care education for all physicians engaged in cancer care. This study sought to determine whether PEACE could improve physicians' knowledge of, practices in, and difficulties with palliative care.Methods: In 2011, we conducted questionnaire-based surveys before, just after, and 2 months after completion of the PEACE program in physicians participating in the program at each of 15 designated cancer hospitals in Japan. Knowledge was measured using the palliative care knowledge questionnaire for PEACE (PEACE-Q). Practices and difficulties were evaluated using the Palliative Care self-reported Practice Scale (PCPS) and the Palliative Care Difficulties Scale (PCDS), respectively.Results: Among 223 physicians participating in the program, 85 (38%) answered the follow-up survey. Significant improvements were noted on the PEACE-Q compared with baseline immediately after completion of the program, and this progress was maintained at 2 months (21.7±5.56 versus 29.5±2.10 versus 28.7±3.28, respectively; p<0.0001). Similarly, significant improvements were noted for total scores on both the PCPS and the PCDS at 2 months after completion of the program (62.1±13.9 versus 69.6±9.94 [p<0.0001] for the PCPS; 44.4±9.96 versus 39.4±10.7 [p<0.0001] for the PCDS).Conclusions: The PEACE education program improved physicians' knowledge of, practices in, and difficulties with palliative care.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84920278383&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84920278383&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/jpm.2014.0122
DO - 10.1089/jpm.2014.0122
M3 - Article
C2 - 25495030
AN - SCOPUS:84920278383
VL - 18
SP - 45
EP - 49
JO - Journal of Palliative Medicine
JF - Journal of Palliative Medicine
SN - 1096-6218
IS - 1
ER -