Abstract

Patients suffering from chronic life-limiting or advanced respiratory disorders frequently have a significant symptom load, necessitating palliative care to relieve symptoms, enhance quality of life, and restore dignity. The objective of this study was to examine the perceptions and current practices of respiratory physicians regarding the integration of palliative care for adult patients with chronic advanced respiratory illnesses. The study received responses from 172 respiratory doctors. The majority of respiratory doctors (n=153; 88.9%) believed that early palliative care integration was advantageous. They did not believe that sending patients to palliative care would result in a loss of control over their treatment (n=107; 62.21%), and 66 (38.37%) strongly disagreed that the referral would result in patients losing hope. In our study, respiratory doctors were more likely to include palliative care into their usual clinical practise. The majority of them stated a desire to improve their palliative care abilities. As a result, collaborative integration efforts and reciprocal information sharing between respiratory physicians and palliative care specialists will ensure that patients with advanced respiratory disorders receive high-quality palliative care.