Terapias complementares na perspetiva de profissionias de saúde em cuidados paliativos

Abstract

Context: Utilization of complementary therapies is, nowadays, a present reality on Portuguese society and at a mundial level and there is subjects that are investigated after WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002-2005: the integration of complementary therapies on National Health Systems; it’s availability and accessibility; it’s quality and efficacy and it’s rational use by professionals and consumers. This study highlights the interest and utilization of complementary therapies by health professionals in Palliative Care and it had as general purpose to know the health professionals’ in Palliative Care perspective about utilization of complementary therapies on their everyday practice and had three specific purposes: identify health professionals’ in Palliative Care interest for complementary therapies; identify complementary therapies more used by those health professionals and identify trainings in complementary therapies did by them. Methodology: This is a descriptive exploratory study with quantitative approach and data were obtained by applying a questionnaire, with twenty six questions, consisting of three parts: A, B and C. Part A about personal and professional characteristics; part B on the interest of health professionals’ in Palliative Care in complementary therapies and part C focused on utilization of complementary therapies by those professionals. Data were analyzed on Microsoft Office Excel 2007 program using descriptive statistic. Outcomes: Outcomes were obtained from a sample of 60 health professionals with ages between 23 and 60 years and predominantly female (85%). 64,4% of respondents has high and very high interest in complementary therapies and none of them reported haven’t interest on complementary therapies. All complementary therapies are used by respondents in themselves to a greater or lesser degree. In the workplace therapeutic massage and therapeutic touch are most used and hypnotherapy, chiropractic and tai-chi aren’t used. Professionals are trained in every complementary therapy. It was also found that health professionals in Palliative Care has little knowledge about complementary therapies’ legislation; only seven professionals reported know Portuguese Law nº45/2003 of 22nd August that regulates unconventional therapies. Conclusion: Most health professionals in Palliative Care have high and very high interest in complementary therapies doing it’s training mostly out of workplace. Utilization of complementary therapies is most personal than professional, although, taking into account it’s interest and utilization that they do of it, it is suggested realization of a similar study on a bigger sample, to get a best reflex of health professionals’ in Palliative Care reality and also to study more deeply what leads them to seek and train complementary therapies.

Date of Award	14 May 2013
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Beatriz Araújo (Supervisor) & Paulo Alves (Co-Supervisor)