Knowledge, Views And Experience Of Breaking Bad News Among Primary Health Care Physicians In Taif

Abstract

Background: Breaking bad news is an essential skill of any family physician and general practitioner (GP). Our training and values support open and honest communication between the physician and patient. As a result, family physicians and GPs are in an ideal position to help patients with a terminal disease face their illness with compassion and dignity.

Objectives: To assess knowledge, views and experience of breaking bad news as well as the relationship between the socio-demographic variables, job characteristics and knowledge regarding breaking bad news among family physicians and general practitioners.

Methodology: This study is a descriptive cross- sectional study. It included all family physicians and general practitioners working in primary health care centers during the study period in Taif, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire based on the main steps of breaking bad news especially SPIKES mode was utilized for data collection. It consisted of two parts: the first part includes the personal characteristics (gender, age, nationality, marital status, title, qualifications and years of practice) while the second part contains questions, based on the main steps of breaking bad news especially SPIKES model, to assess their knowledge, views and experience of breaking bad news.

Results: The study included 121 primary health care physicians with a response rate of 80.7%. Males represent 59.5% of them. Their age ranged between 22 and 60 years with a mean of 36.7 years and standard deviation of 9.5 years. More than half of them (54.5%) were non-Saudis. Almost one third of the PHC physicians (34.7%) attended training courses on breaking bad news mostly lectures [1](62%). Overall, Sufficient knowledge regarding breaking bas news was reported among 12.4% of PHC physicians. Older (>45 years old), non-Saudi, more experienced, higher educated, consultant physicians and those attended training courses in breaking bad news were more significantly knowledgeable. Majority of the physicians agreed that patients should be informed about a serious life threatening illness (80.9%) and guidelines or protocols as helpful with respect to breaking bad news (91.8%). However, 58.6% of them agreed that Saudi patients would prefer to be told about a serious illness.

Conclusion: Although the primary physicians are keen to help their patients, most of them lack the essential knowledge and skills of breaking bad news. However, their views towards breaking bad news are encouraging in general.