Palliative Care education in Armenia: perspectives of first-year Armenian physician residents.

Hagedorn, Carolin, Tadevosyan, Artashes, Mason, Stephen ORCID: 0000-0002-4020-6869 and Elsner, Frank (2022) Palliative Care education in Armenia: perspectives of first-year Armenian physician residents. BMC palliative care, 21 (1). p. 53.

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Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Due to developing demographic changes, including an aging society and the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, Palliative Care is increasingly highlighted as a universal healthcare need. The need for Palliative Care in Armenia is set against the context of an underdeveloped healthcare system. Further, the absence of palliative medicine within medical education, particularly undergraduate education in Armenia presents a major barrier to improving care. This research aimed to assess the perception of young Armenian physicians' understanding of Palliative Care, its perceived status in Armenia and the experience and influence of any engaged Palliative Care education.<h4>Methods</h4>Twenty Armenian first-year residents with different specializations were interviewed July and September 2016 regarding: understanding/knowledge, experiences, perceived competence, and expectations of Palliative Care and Palliative Care education. The transcripts from these semi-structured interviews were analyzed using Qualitative Content Analysis.<h4>Results</h4>Participants perceived that Armenia's health care system lacked sufficient Palliative Care and Palliative Care education. Although elements of Palliative Care were included in different specialty teaching, this provided just a partial understanding of typical Palliative Care patients/symptoms, approaches to holistic care, and crucially key communication skills. Challenges noted by participants in caring for Palliative Care patients included emotional difficulties, communication of diagnosis/prognosis, uninformed patients and concerns for patients, families, and physicians. Self-confidence in caring for patients with incurable illness varied. Participants hoped for increasing availability and accessibility of Palliative Care, and extension of clinical education in Palliative Care at all levels (undergraduate, postgraduate, specialization).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Absence of training has resulted in misconceptions and ignorance of common concepts and practices in Palliative Care. Palliative Care education needs to be systematically developed and integrated into clinical training within Armenia. This research may provide a rallying call for changes within the core curricula in Armenia and may also encourage collaborative development in associated countries of the Caucasus region.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Armenia, Palliative Care, Education, Qualitative research, Interview, Undergraduate medical education, Global Health
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Life Courses and Medical Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	27 May 2022 07:35
Last Modified:	09 Mar 2023 02:22
DOI:	10.1186/s12904-022-00938-z
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-00938-z
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3155578