Table 2.
Comparisons of level of knowledge, by work setting and professional status
| Variable |
All doctors |
Hospital-based doctors |
Community-based doctors |
p value |
Board-certified |
Residents |
p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | 201 | 89 | 112 | 90 | 111 | ||
| Knowledge of indications for FT use in patients with advanced dementia? (>1 choice possible) | |||||||
| Prevents aspiration | 124 (61.7) | 49 (55.1) | 75 (67) | 0.108 | 46 (51.1) | 78 (70.3) | 0.006 |
| Prevents aspiration pneumonia | 104 (51.7) | 11 (12.4) | 32 (28.6) | 0.006 | 13 (14.4) | 30 (27) | 0.038 |
| Prevents weight loss | 78 (38.8) | 38 (42.7) | 66 (58.9) | 0.024 | 44 (48.9) | 60 (54.1) | 0.481 |
| Prolongs life | 54 (26.9) | 22 (24.7) | 32 (28.6) | 0.631 | 18 (20) | 36 (32.4) | 0.056 |
| Improves quality of life | 53 (26.4) | 24 (27) | 29 (25.9) | 0.873 | 20 (22.2) | 33 (29.7) | 0.262 |
| Prevents pressure sores | 43 (21) | 22 (24.5) | 34 (30.4) | 0.430 | 26 (28.9) | 30 (27) | 0.874 |
| There are no indications for FT | 36 (17.9) | 14 (15.7) | 22 (19.6) | 0.579 | 18 (20) | 18 (16.2) | 0.580 |
| Who should decide on the use of FTs? (>1 choice possible) | |||||||
| The patient by means of advanced medical directives | 149 (74.1) | 64 (71.9) | 84 (75) | 0.627 | 60 (66.7) | 89 (80.2) | 0.036 |
| The patient's family | 49 (24.4) | 17 (19.1) | 32 (28.6) | 0.138 | 27 (30) | 22 (19.9) | 0.102 |
| The guardian | 133 (66.2) | 54 (60.7) | 79 (70.5) | 0.177 | 61 (67.8) | 72 (64.9) | 0.765 |
| The primary physician | 58 (28.9) | 21 (23.6) | 37 (33) | 0.160 | 32 (35.6) | 26 (23.4) | 0.063 |
| The emergency-room or ward doctor | 65 (32.3) | 29 (32.6) | 36 (32.1) | 1.000 | 24 (26.7) | 41 (36.9) | 0.132 |
| A social worker | 11 (5) | 3 (3.4) | 8 (7.1) | 0.352 | 5 (5.6) | 6 (5.4) | 1.000 |
| A judge | 27 (13.4) | 6 (6.7) | 21 (18.8) | 0.013 | 14 (15.6) | 13 (11.7) | 0.533 |
| What potential complications occur with FT use? (>1 choice possible) | |||||||
| Gastrointestinal bleeding | 128 (63.7) | 53 (59.6) | 75 (67) | 0.303 | 60 (66.7) | 68 (61.3) | 0.463 |
| Patient agitation | 93 (46.3) | 41 (46.1) | 52 (46.4) | 1.000 | 43 (47.8) | 50 (45) | 0.776 |
| Perforation | 136 (67.7) | 55 (61.8) | 81 (72.3) | 0.130 | 65 (72.2) | 71 (64) | 0.288 |
| Diarrhea | 57 (28.4) | 23 (25.8) | 34 (30.4) | 0.530 | 33 (36.3) | 24 (21.6) | 0.027 |
| New pressure sores in the area of the PEG or NGT | 106 (52.7) | 44 (49.4) | 62 (55.4) | 0.477 | 55 (61.1) | 51 (45.6) | 0.034 |
| Increased burden on the primary caregiver | 60 (29.9) | 25 (28.1) | 35 (31.3) | 0.645 | 29 (32.2) | 31 (27.9) | 0.538 |
| There are usually no complications | 25 (12.4) | 10 (11.2) | 15 (13.4) | 0.674 | 8 (8.9) | 17 (15.3) | 0.201 |
Values express n (%). FT, feeding tube; PEG, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy; NGT, nasogastric tube.