Factors Influencing the Knowledge and Attitudes of Hospice Care Practitioners in Guangxi, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Lin Chen,1,* Qini Pan,2,* Xiaohong Li,3 Shuangli Luo,4 Xiao Pan,2 Huiqiao Huang2 1Department of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of nursing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China; 3College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guxngxi, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Huiqiao Huang; Xiao Pan, Email huangedugx@126.com; 1910026304@qq.comPurpose: Practitioners in China who implement hospice care services include doctors, nurses, and care workers. These individuals play an important role in the holistic care of patients at the end of life and their families. This study aimed to provide baseline data to develop hospice care services and improve relevant policies by investigating the knowledge and attitudes of hospice care practitioners (HCPs) and analyzing influencing factors.Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study used stratified sampling and quota sampling. The HCPs were from nursing homes, medical institutions, integrated medical and nursing institutions, and community health service centers in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. We examined HCPs’ demographic characteristics and scores on a self-designed Chinese scale to measure their knowledge and attitudes(K&A scale). A total of 1821 HCPs completed surveys from May 2022 to July 2022. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, univariate analysis and multiple linear regression.Results: The standard score of the K&A scale of 1821 HCPs was 61.62 (SD=9.78), and the individual mean scores of knowledge and attitudes were 76.42 (SD=28.13) and 58.69 (SD=11.31), respectively. The final multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the main factors that influenced the K&A score were monthly income, job satisfaction, and the hospice care-related system (HCS).Conclusion: The HCPs in this study displayed moderate mean scores for knowledge and a less favorable attitude toward hospice care. Monthly income, job satisfaction and the HCS were the common factors that influenced HCPs’ K&A. The results suggest the need to strengthen targeted and professional training for HCPs, increase their welfare and benefits, and improve indigenous policies of hospice care.Keywords: attitudes, hospice care practitioners, hospice care-related system, knowledge