Primary Care Professionals’ Self-Efficacy Surrounding Advance Care Planning and Its Link to Sociodemographics, Background and Perceptions: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Main Authors: Cristina Lasmarías, Amor Aradilla-Herrero, Cristina Esquinas, Sebastià Santaeugènia, Francisco Cegri, Esther Limón, Mireia Subirana-Casacuberta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: advance care planning; primary care; self-efficacy
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9034
• ISSN: 1661-7827; 1660-4601

Primary care (PC) professionals have been considered the most appropriate practitioners for leading Advance care planning (ACP) processes with advanced chronic patients. Aim: To explore how PC doctors’ and nurses’ self-efficacy surrounding ACP is linked to their sociodemographic characteristics, background and perceptions of ACP practices. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed. Sociodemographics, background and perceptions about ACP in practice were collected using an online survey. The Advance Care Planning Self-Efficacy Spanish (ACP-SEs) scale was used for the self-efficacy measurement. Statistical analysis: Bivariate, multivariate and backward stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed to identify variables independently related to a higher score on the ACP-SEs. Results: N = 465 participants, 70.04% doctors, 81.47% female. The participants had a mean age of 46.45 years and 66.16% had spent >15 years in their current practice. The logistic regression model showed that scoring ≤ 75 on the ACP-SEs was related to a higher score on feeling sufficiently trained, having participated in ACP processes, perceiving that ACP facilitates knowledge of preferences and values, and perceiving that ACP improves patients’ quality of life. Conclusion: Professionals with previous background and those who have a positive perception of ACP are more likely to feel able to carry out ACP processes with patients.