Perceived barriers to paediatric palliative care in a Palestinian children's hospital

Ghareeb, George and Kelly, Daniel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1847-0655 2025. Perceived barriers to paediatric palliative care in a Palestinian children's hospital. International Journal of Palliative Nursing 31 (1) , pp. 40-50. 10.12968/ijpn.2025.31.1.40 Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Background: This study aimed to identify barriers to paediatric palliative care provision at one Palestinian paediatric hospital, elucidate reasons for the barriers, provide recommendations for enhancing care and identify topics for future research in other low-to middle-income countries. Methods: A mixed-method cross-sectional study, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted, involving 61 healthcare professionals at a paediatric hospital in Palestine. Data collection consisted of 58 participants completing an electronic survey, while three healthcare professionals participated in semi-structured interviews. Ethical approval was obtained prior to data collection. Results: The study identified significant barriers to paediatric palliative care, categorised into patient-family, healthcare professional and organisational domains. Quantitative data from 58 healthcare professionals revealed family resistance to a palliative prognosis and inadequate training for healthcare professionals, with mean barrier scores ranging from 3.09 to 4.00 (maximum=5.00). Qualitative insights from interviews and open-ended survey questions complemented these findings, highlighting the need for effective communication, educational enhancement and organisational support to improve the quality of care. Conclusion: The study identified barriers to the implementation of effective paediatric palliative care, underscoring the need for emotional support, better clinical guidance, more education and training and stronger interdisciplinary collaboration.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Healthcare Sciences
Publisher:	MA Healthcare
ISSN:	1357-6321
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	5 February 2025
Date of Acceptance:	7 November 2025
Last Modified:	05 Feb 2025 10:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/175904

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