PALLIATIVE CARE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY TRAINING: AN ANALYSIS OF THE CURRICULUM AND STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Palliative care (PC) aims to improve the quality of life of patients with serious illnesses and their families, working to prevent and alleviate physical, emotional, social, and spiritual suffering. Physical therapy plays an essential role in this approach, promoting comfort, pain control, and maintenance of functionality. With an aging population and an increase in chronic noncommunicable diseases, the demand for PC is growing. Despite the relevance of this care model and its inclusion in recent public policies, there are gaps in PC training in physical therapy courses. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the knowledge about PC among students in undergraduate physical therapy courses at public and private institutions in Goiânia and the metropolitan region, in addition to verifying the presence of this theme in the respective curriculum matrices. METHODOLOGY: A two-stage study: documentary analysis of the curricula of face-to-face physical therapy courses in the region and a cross-sectional survey of 235 students using a semi-structured remote questionnaire on contact with and knowledge of CP. RESULTS: Of the fifteen institutions identified, only two offered specific CP courses. Although 78.7% of students had already heard about the topic and 66% said they had received content in their undergraduate program, 57.4% were unaware of the WHO definition of CP, and only 22.1% said they were satisfied with their training. All recognized the need to include the topic in the curriculum. CONCLUSION: Despite the students' partial contact with the topic, there is a knowledge deficit, indicating insufficient and fragmented formal teaching, reflecting a traditional model that is inadequate for current needs. We recommend a curriculum reorganization with a broader approach, aligned with public policies and collective health, to train professionals capable of providing comprehensive care.