Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care

Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care (한국호스피스완화의료학회)
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Doctor's Perception and Referral Barriers toward Palliative Care for Advanced Cancer Patients

말기암환자의 완화의료에 대한 의사들의 인식과 완화의료 의뢰 시 장애요인

  • Lee, Jae-Ri (Department of Family Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Jung-Kwon (Department of Family Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Hwang, Sun-Jin (Department of Family Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Ji-Eun (Department of Family Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Chung, Ji-In (Center for Health Promotion, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Si-Young (Division of Medical Oncology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine)
  • 이재리 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 가정의학교실) ;
  • 이정권 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 가정의학교실) ;
  • 황선진 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 가정의학교실) ;
  • 김지은 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 가정의학교실) ;
  • 정지인 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 건강의학센터) ;
  • 김시영 (경희대학교 의과대학 종양내과학교실)
  • Received : 2011.11.14
  • Accepted : 2012.01.25
  • Published : 2012.03.01
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Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the perception regarding palliative care among Korean doctors and referral barriers toward palliative care for terminal cancer patients. Methods: Between May and June 2010, 477 specialists mainly caring cancer patients using a web-based, self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 128 doctors (26.8%) responded. All respondents (100%) deemed palliative care a necessary service for terminal cancer patients. More than 80% of the respondents agreed to each of the following statements: all cancer centers should provide palliative care service (80.5%); all terminal cancer patients should receive concurrent palliative care along with anti-cancer therapies (89.1%) and caring for terminal cancer patients requires interdisciplinary approach (96.9). While more than 58% of the respondents were satisfied with their performance of physical and psychological symptoms management and emotional support provided by patient's family members, 64% of the responded answered that their general management of the end-of-life care was less than satisfactory. Doctors without prior experience in referring their patients to palliative care specialists accounted for 26.6% of the respondents. The most common barrier to hospice referral, cited by 47.7% of the respondents, was "refusal of patient or family member", followed by "lack of available palliative care resources" (46.1%). Conclusion: Although most doctors do recognize the importance of palliative care for advanced cancer patients, comprehensive and sufficient palliative medicine, including interdisciplinary cooperation and end-of-life care, has not been put into practice. Thus, more active palliative consultation or referral is needed for effective care of terminal cancer patients.

목적: 완화의료를 위해서는 완화의료 대상자에 대한 판단을 하고 완화의료를 직접 시행하거나 완화의료에 자문/의뢰하는 의료인의 역할이 중요하다. 이에 본 연구는 한국의 암환자를 주로 진료하는 의사들의 완화의료에 대한 인식과 완화의료 의뢰 시 장애요인에 대해 알아보았다. 방법: 2010년 5월부터 6월까지 암환자를 주로 진료하는 전문의 477명을 대상으로 무기명 자기 기입식 웹 설문 조사를 수행하였다. 결과: 총 128명(26.8%)이 응답하였고, 설문에 응답한 모든 의사들은 말기암환자에게 완화의료가 필요하다고 생각하는 것으로 조사되었다. 80% 이상의 응답자들이 '3차 의료기관 및 암센터는 완화의료 서비스를 제공해야 한다.', '진행 암환자는 항암 화학요법을 받는 중이더라도 완화의료를 받아야 한다.', '말기암환자의 치료에는 여러 과의 협력이 필요하다.'에 동의하였다. 완화의료 수행능력에 대해서는 58% 이상이 자신이 하고 있는 신체 증상 조절 및 정신증상 조절, 말기암환자 가족의 정서적 지지에 만족한다고 응답하였으나 전반적인 말기암환자 및 임종 환자 관리 서비스는 64%에서 '만족스럽지 않다'고 응답하였다. 응답자 중 34명(26.6%)은 '자신의 말기암환자를 완화의료팀으로 자문'하거나 '의뢰한 경험이 없는 것'으로 나타났고 완화의료 의뢰의 장애 요인으로 '환자나 보호자의 거부'가 61명(47.7%)으로 가장 많았으며 다음으로 '믿고 의뢰할 수 있는 완화의료팀이 없어서'라고 응답한 의사가 59명(46.1%)으로 많았다. 결론: 본 연구에서 대부분의 암환자를 주로 진료하는 의사들은 말기암환자의 완화의료 시행에 대해 긍정적 인식을 가지고 있지만 실제 말기암환자 진료에 있어 다학제 간 협력이나 임종관리까지 충분한 완화의료의 제공은 이뤄지지 않는 것으로 나타났다. 효율적이고 수준 높은 말기암환자의 관리를 위해서 보다 적극적인 완화 의료 자문이나 의뢰가 시행되어야 할 것으로 생각된다.

Keywords

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