Table 1.

Baseline characteristics of survey respondents: A total of 112 primary care physicians and 58 nurses and other health professionals in primary care responded in full to the section on barriers, but 2 physicians and 1 other health professional did not complete the demographic portion of the survey.

CHARACTERISTICSALLPHYSICIANSNURSES AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS*
Mean (SD) age, y45.4 (12.8)47.6 (11.9)41.4 (13.5)
Female sex, n (%)108 (64.7)54 (49.1)54 (94.7)
White ethnicity, n (%)125 (77.6)85 (79.4)40 (74.1)
Religious background, n (%)
  • Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, or other Christian86 (51.5)51 (46.4)35 (61.4)
  • Jewish10 (6.0)8 (7.3)2 (3.5)
  • Other or no religious affiliation71 (42.5)51 (46.4)20 (35.1)
Country trained in
  • Canada147 (88.0)94 (85.5)53 (93.0)
  • Other20 (12.0)16 (14.5)4 (7.0)
Mean (SD) years in practice18.0 (13.3)19.2 (12.8)15.8 (14.2)
Self-rated skills in ACP discussions, n (%)
  • Limited34 (20.4)7 (6.4)27 (47.4)
  • Fair24 (14.4)11 (10.0)13 (22.8)
  • Average63 (37.7)52 (47.3)11 (19.3)
  • Very good32 (19.2)28 (25.5)4 (7.0)
  • Expert14 (8.4)12 (10.9)2 (3.5)
Priority for learning ACP skills, n (%)
  • 1 (low priority, not of interest, or already mastered)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)
  • 212 (9.1)7 (8.2)5 (10.6)
  • 349 (37.1)32 (37.6)17 (36.2)
  • 470 (53.0)46 (54.1)24 (51.1)
  • 5 (high priority, first priority on personal learning agenda)1 (0.8)0 (0.0)1 (2.1)
Have undertaken extra training or certification in palliative care, n (%)36 (21.6)24 (21.8)12 (21.1)
Employer, n (%)§
  • The physicians in your practiceNANA10 (18.2)
  • A primary care group model (eg, primary care network, family health team)NANA40 (72.7)
  • OtherNANA5 (9.1)
  • ACP—advance care planning, NA—not applicable.

  • * Among the other health professionals, 24 were registered nurses, 10 were nurse practitioners or advanced practice nurses, 6 were registered practical nurses, 7 were social workers, 10 indicated other (eg, psychologist, physician assistant), and 7 did not indicate their profession. Not all provided complete data.

  • Only 107 physicians and 54 other health professionals answered this question.

  • Only 85 physicians and 47 other health professionals answered this question.

  • § Only 55 other health professionals answered this question.