Basic Research on Developing a Medical Counseling System for Cancer Patients and Their Families

Research Project

Project/Area Number	09470517
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B).
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Medical sociology
Research Institution	THE JAPANESE RED CROSS COLLEGE OF NURSING
Principal Investigator	TAKENAKA Fumiyoshi THE JAPANESE RED CROSS COLLEGE OF NURSING, Professor, 看護学部, 教授 (40288064)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	OKUHARA Hidemori THE JAPANESE RED CROSS COLLEGE OF NURSING, Associate Professor, 看護学部, 助教授 (60288066) ENDO Kimihisa THE JAPANESE RED CROSS COLLEGE OF NURSING, Associate Professor, 看護学部, 助教授 (40221816) MORITA Minako THE JAPANESE RED CROSS COLLEGE OF NURSING, Associate Professor, 看護学部, 助教授 (50288065) YOSHIDA Mitsuko THE JAPANESE RED CROSS COLLEGE OF NURSING, Assistant Professor, 看護学部, 講師 (80308288) ASAKURA Takashi Associate Professor, TOKYO GAKUGEI UNIVERSITY, 教育学部, 助教授 (00183731) 樋口康子日本赤十字看護大学, 看護学部, 教授 (50198991) 佐藤裕子 (黒田裕子) 日本赤十字看護大学, 看護学部, 教授 (90234616)
Project Period (FY)	1997 – 2000
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2000)
Budget Amount *help	¥12,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥12,000,000) Fiscal Year 2000: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000) Fiscal Year 1999: ¥1,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000) Fiscal Year 1998: ¥3,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000) Fiscal Year 1997: ¥4,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,800,000)
Keywords	cancer patient / family / medicalcounseling system / support programs / support group / 聞き取り調査 / 告知 / サポートニード / 相談システム / 調査研究
Research Abstract	The objective of this study is to identify the needs of cancer patients and their families, describe the current state of support mechanisms to address those needs, and on that basis examine how to establish a medical counseling system for patients and families tailored to present conditions in Japan. A survey of the needs of cancer patients and their families reveals that there is a high level of need for information on the disease and its treatment and for economic assistance. Support needs are especially marked among the young and those with multiple symptoms. A survey of cancer patient support programs in Japan and the United States suggests the possibility of establishing a counseling system based primarily in medical counseling offices in cancer hospitals and the like. However, in addition to hospital-based services, it also throws light on the importance of working in partnership with non-profit groups and other organizations open to the community that offer a wide array of counseling programs. Under the study, a university-based support group was run on a trial basis as a type of counseling program open to the community. Its benefits are examined, and as a result, it is found to have been effective for women patients and patients suffering from severe depression after a relapse. The study suggests that in future it will be important to consider specific programs and methods of evaluation, and to train specialists capable of administering groups ; it will also be important to lay the foundations for programs such as the above that are open to the community and are run by specialists outside of designated medical institutions.