Description
Background
There are a growing number of people with incurable illnesses in Kenya due to HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The patients who suffer from these illnesses need end of life care. End of life care is care that helps all those with incurable illness to live as well as possible until they die. While in the developed countries such care is given in a hospice or at home by palliative service professionals, these services are very few in Kenya. This care therefore ends up being offered by inpatient healthcare professionals headed by the doctors. Doctors play a key role in offering end of life care. They are the ones who make the diagnosis of a terminal illness, prescribe medications and communicate to the patients and their families. However, a literature review done in sub-Saharan Africa showed that doctors have limited knowledge and skills in end of life care. The emphasis of their training is almost exclusive on curative treatment, hence they struggle to identify the needs of patients with terminal illness.
Study objectives
The aims of this study are three-fold: to understand the doctors’ knowledge, attitude, and level of training in adult inpatient end of life care.
Method
This is a descriptive cross-sectional survey utilizing a self- administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to Doctors who work in three mission hospitals in Kenya (AIC Kijabe, AGC Tenwek and PCEA Chogoria mission hospitals).
