A Mixed-Method Study on the Palliative Care Capacity of Social Workers in Flanders (Belgium): A Call to Expand Their Role

Table 1

Survey respondents’ characteristics (N = 352).

General characteristics
Gender
Male	11.4% (N = 40)
Female	88.6% (N = 312)
Years of professional experience
>5 years (few experience)	19.7% (N = 69)
5–20 years (moderate experience)	48.4% (N = 170)
<20 years (much experience)	31.9% (N = 112)
Age
>25	9.9% (N = 35)
26–40	47.7% (N = 168)
41–67	42.3% (N = 149)
Organisational affiliation
Hospital social service	42.3% (N = 149)
Health insurance service	33.2% (N = 117)
Home care service	13.4% (N = 47)
Nursing home	9.7% (N = 34)
Community health clinic	1.9% (N = 5)
Grade
Social work (BSW/MSW)	81% (N = 285)
Social nursing	19% (N = 67)
Contact with palliative care in education and professional life
Palliative care content in education curricula
Present	45.8% (N = 189)
Not present	54.2% (N = 160)
Continuing education on palliative care
Yes	29.9% (N = 105)
No	70.1% (N = 246)
Contact with palliative care in professional life
Full sample (N = 352)
Frequent (daily-weekly)	59.1% (N = 208)
Less frequent (monthly)	22.4% (N = 79)
Not frequent (yearly-never)	18.4% (N = 65)
Hospital social service (N = 149)
Frequent (daily-weekly)	65.1% (N = 97)
Less frequent (monthly)	13.4% (N = 20)
Not frequent (yearly-never)	21.5% (N = 32)
Health insurance service (N = 117)
Frequent (daily-weekly)	61.5% (N = 72)
Less frequent (monthly)	32.5% (N = 38)
Not frequent (yearly-never)	6% (N = 7)
Home care service (N = 47)
Frequent (daily-weekly)	42.5% (N = 20)
Less frequent (monthly)	21.3% (N = 10)
Not frequent (yearly-never)	36.2% (N = 17)
Nursing home (N = 34)
Frequent (daily-weekly)	52.9% (N = 18)
Less frequent (monthly)	26.5% (N = 9)
Not frequent (yearly-never)	20.6% (N = 7)