Lin Yu-Jia, Chang Hsiao-Ting, Lin Ming-Hwai, Chen Ru-Yih, Chen Ping-Jen, Lin Wen-Yuan, Hsieh Jyh-Gang, Wang Ying-Wei, Hu Chung-Chieh, Liou Yi-Sheng, Chiu Tai-Yuan, Tu Chun-Yi, Wang Yi-Jen, Cheng Bo-Ren, Chen Tzeng-Ji, Chen Fang-Pey, Hwang Shinn-Jang
Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Integr Med Res. 2021 Jun;10(2):100642. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2020.100642. Epub 2020 Aug 12.
Medical staff may have difficulties in using conventional medicine to manage symptoms among terminally ill patients, including adverse effects of the treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is regarded as a complementary or alternative medicine, and has been increasingly used in the field of palliative medicine in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of and attitudes toward using TCM among palliative care professionals, and to provide preliminary information about its use in palliative care.
This was a cross-sectional survey study conducted in eight inpatient hospice wards in Taiwan between December 2014 and February 2016. The questionnaire was self-administered, and was analyzed with descriptive statistics including Pearson's Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test.
A total of 251 palliative care professionals responded to the questionnaire, of whom 89.7% and 88.9% believed that the use of TCM could improve the physical symptoms and quality of life in terminally ill patients, respectively. Overall, 59.8%, of respondents suggested that TCM had rare side effects, and 58.2% were worried that TCM could affect the liver and kidney function of patients. In total, 89.7% and 88.0% of professionals agreed there were no suitable clinical practice guidelines and educational programs, respectively, for TCM use in palliative care.
Most of the respondents agreed there was insufficient knowledge, skills-training, and continuing education on the use of TCM in terminally ill patients in Taiwan. These results show that to address patient safety considerations, guidelines about use of TCM in palliative care should be established.
医护人员在使用传统药物治疗晚期患者症状时可能会遇到困难，包括治疗的不良反应。中医被视为一种补充或替代医学，近年来在姑息医学领域的应用越来越广泛。本研究旨在调查姑息治疗专业人员使用中医的经验和态度，并提供其在姑息治疗中应用的初步信息。
这是一项横断面调查研究，于2014年12月至2016年2月在台湾的8个住院临终关怀病房进行。问卷采用自填式，并用包括Pearson卡方检验和Fisher精确检验在内的描述性统计方法进行分析。
共有251名姑息治疗专业人员回复了问卷，其中89.7%和88.9%的人分别认为使用中医可以改善晚期患者的身体症状和生活质量。总体而言，59.8%的受访者表示中医副作用罕见，58.2%的人担心中医会影响患者的肝肾功能。分别有89.7%和88.0%的专业人员认为在姑息治疗中使用中医没有合适的临床实践指南和教育项目。
大多数受访者认为台湾在晚期患者使用中医方面的知识、技能培训和继续教育不足。这些结果表明，为了考虑患者安全，应制定姑息治疗中使用中医的指南。
