First Experiences with Last Aid Courses as Tool for Public Palliative Care Education in Brazil

Background/Objectives: Promoting access to palliative care education at all levels and in diverse contexts is essential. In Brazil, however, despite progress, awareness remains limited. The Last Aid approach provides accessible ways for the public to engage in discussions about serious illness, death, dying, and grief, while also suggesting practical actions to support. The present study aimed to investigate whether Last Aid Courses are accepted and contribute to increasing knowledge and awareness of Palliative Care to different settings in Brazil. Design/Methods: To obtain more in-depth views, a mixed methods approach was chosen, and participants from all Last Aid Courses offered in Brazil between March and November 2024 were invited to respond to a mixed qualitative-quantitative questionnaire provided after the course. Results: Thirty-two courses were offered, with 343 participants. Most of the Last Aid Courses participants came from the general public (53.2%), followed by health students (28.1%). 98.8% of all respondents indicated they had acquired new knowledge. Qualitative analysis identified four themes: death as part of life, communication about dying, dignity and respect for patients' wishes, and the need for palliative care education. Participants highlighted autonomy, compassion, and dialogue as essential, reinforcing the urgency of expanding public education. Conclusions: The course implementation in Brazil showed positive results, indicating its potential to raise awareness about the topic, regardless of the context.