Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Αλγολογία: Αντιμετώπιση του πόνου, διάγνωση και θεραπεία. Φαρμακευτικές, παρεμβατικές και άλλες τεχνικέςLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Katrakazou Aikaterini
Supervisors info:
Αθανασία Τσαρουχά, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπουσα
Ιωάννα Σιαφάκα, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Κασσιανή Θεοδωράκη, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Συλλογή και Επεξεργασία Στοιχείων με Ερωτηματολόγιο για την Αποτίμηση των Γνώσεων που έχουν οι Έλληνες Ιατροί για τον Χρόνιο Πόνο
Translated title:
Collecting and Processing Data with a Questionnaire in order to Assess the Knowledge of Greek Physicians about Chronic Pain
Summary:
INTRODUCTION: Chronic pain is a common symptom requiring total care. According to bibliography, 20% up to 50% of patients admitted to primary and secondary health care structures is associated with chronic pain.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association of hospital doctors' knowledge and beliefs about chronic pain, with its management practices.
METHOD: This was a cross-sectional observational study enrolled physicians in various occupational levels and specialties and took place at 6 different General Hospitals in Greece (Lamia, Amfissa, Thiva, Levadia, Chalkida and Kalamata). Participants were asked to complete a self-evaluation questionnaire in which demographic and occupational characteristics were included. The questionnaire was recording the frequency of occupation with chronic pain patients and the type of advanced education in algοlogy in order to evaluate and treat these patients. In addition, physicians' views on chronic pain were assessed both in terms of its duration and characteristics and the attitudes of the health professional to treat it at individual and interdisciplinary level. The Pearson’s χ2 test and the Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 259 physicians participated in this study (56% male and 44% female). Of the participants, 44.1% treated often / very often patients with chronic pain and 73.2% treated more often women with chronic pain. About 79% of the physicians knew what chronic pain was and 39% of them were aware with the kinds of chronic pain. The majority of participants administered nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in patients with chronic pain, 48.0% administered non-opioids, 46.2% frequently / very often were administering more than one drug to patients with chronic pain. Only 31.0% of the participants followed a specific pharmaceutical protocol recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the prescription of analgesics.
Finally, in the multivariate analysis of the study data, the rates of administration of both NSAIDs and non-opioid analgesics were not statistically significantly correlated with the participants' work and educational characteristics, nor with their knowledge and beliefs about chronic pain. In contrast, opioid administration rates were statistically significantly correlated with participants' knowledge of chronic pain. Finally, the rates of antiepileptic medication in patients with chronic pain differed statistically significantly depending on physician specialty, frequency of treatment, knowledge and educational characteristics of the participants.
CONCLUSIONS: In the team of hospital doctors examined it was found that although participants often treat patients with chronic pain and have good pain management goals, lack of training in the management of these patients limits their comprehensive and effective care.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Chronic, Pain, Questionnaire, Greece, Knowledge
