• Lulu Tsao, Xiaoxiao J Kwete, Sarah E Slater, Kathleen P Doyle, Do Duy Cuong, Quach T Khanh, Rie Mauer, ThyDang Ngoc MinhDNMDepartment of Medicine, St. Elizabeth Hospital (D.N.M.T.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA., Dang Huy Quoc Thinh, Tran Diep Tuan, Do Van Dung, Luong Ngoc Khue, and Eric L Krakauer.
• Harvard Medical School (L.T.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California (L.T.), San Fransisco, california, USA.
• J Pain Symptom Manage. 2023 Aug 1; 66 (2): 146159146-159.

ContextPalliative care remains largely inaccessible in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and efforts to increase access are impeded by lack of training of proven effectiveness for physicians.ObjectivesTo measure the effectiveness of palliative care training for Vietnamese physicians.MethodsThe palliative care-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessment of Vietnamese physicians were studied prior to a basic course in palliative care (baseline), just after the physicians completed the course (post), and 6-18 months later (follow-up).ResultsThe self-assessment scores and knowledge scores increased significantly from baseline to post and decreased significantly from post to follow-up, but the follow-up scores remained significantly higher than baseline. There were significant interactions between changes over time of the knowledge scores and baseline age, degree, years of graduation, training, type of work, and whether participants had ever prescribed morphine for pain. Medically appropriate attitudes increased significantly from baseline to post and did not decrease significantly from post to follow-up.ConclusionOur basic palliative care course in Vietnam resulted in significant and enduring improvements among physicians in palliative care-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessed competence. To respond to the enormous unmet need for palliative care in LMICs, primary care providers and physician-specialists in many fields, among others, should receive palliative care training of proven effectiveness, receive ongoing mentoring or refresher training, and be given the responsibility and opportunity to practice what they learn.Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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