Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background: Palliative care is a relatively new field of medicine. The goal of palliative care is to provide comfort and maintain the highest possible quality of life for as long as life remains. However, there is a paucity of studies on knowledge about palliative care among medical students. The present study was conducted to assess the knowledge about palliative care amongst intern students of a medical college hospital. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 98 intern students of a Medical College in Malwa region of Punjab. Data was analyzed in the form of percentage and proportions. Z-test of proportions was applied wherever necessary. Results: The present study questionnaire was answered by81 out of 98 intern students yielding a response rate of 82.6%. 87.6% interns correctly defined palliative care. The average knowledge score for all 12 statements was 33.2%. 83.9% thought incorrectly that palliative care can be given only in a hospital set-up. A significant number (67.9%) favoured to prescribe pethidine more than morphine. Others thought that parenteral route (54.3%) is more effective for pain relief. Most (66.6%) respondents agreed that they would prescribe less dose of opioids to avoid tolerance and addiction. Conclusion: The study revealed inadequate knowledge about palliative care among medical interns. There is need to introduce palliative care teaching in the medical curriculum so that doctors are able to provide better life support to terminal disease patients
Keywords: Knowledge, Intern students, palliative care, opioids.