Knowledge and perceptions in palliative care among undergraduate medical students in Puducherry, South India

Background: In the NPCDCS program of Government of India, capacity building of health professionals on palliative care is a key component in rehabilitaion of cancer and other NCDs. However as palliative care teaching is still not mandatory in undergraduate medical curriculum, a medical graduate lacks knowledge and confidence in providing palliative care. Understanding the existing levelof knowledge and perceptions of students towards palliative care can facilitate planning a need-based curriculum. Aim: To assess the knowledge and perceptions in palliative care among undergraduate medical students in Puducherry, South India. Methods: After ethical clearance, a semi structured questionnaire comprising 15 knowledge questions and seven perception statements on palliative care was administered to 265 pre-final and final year medical students. The data were analyzed using SPSS-23. Results: Cancer (88.6%), AIDS (28.6%), Spinal trauma (11.6%), XDR TB (5.6%) and Coma (4.5%) were mentioned as diseases that need palliative care. Improving quality of life (46.4%) and relief of pain (30.5%) were mentioned as the purposes of palliative care. Only 15.8% said palliative care starts from the time of diagnosis. About 54.7% students were unaware of main drugs in Step I & II in WHO Pain Ladder. Majority (90.2%) felt oral morphine relieves cancer pain and 47.5% felt it causes addiction. Nearly half of students (48.6%) felt that patients can be reassured during communication. Majority (83.4%) favored inclusion of palliative care teaching in undergraduate curriculum. Conclusion: The findings indicate the need for filling the knowledge gap by focussed training of undergraduate students in palliative care.