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

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.