Study to develop a half-day education program for healthcare students on communication support for people with neurodegenerative disorders

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K08914
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Medical sociology
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Narita Yugo 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (50242954)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 井村 保 中部学院大学, 看護リハビリテーション学部, 教授 (50301619) ; 中井 三智子 鈴鹿医療科学大学, 看護学部, 教授 (60726503) ; 田中 優司 愛知教育大学, 学内共同利用施設等, 教授 (70377654)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 神経難病 / 筋萎縮性側索硬化症 / 拡大・代替コミュニケーション / 医療系学部学生 / 教育プログラム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) requires ongoing support from healthcare teams. A short-term education program with lectures and AAC practice on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis communication support was developed for undergraduate students in multiple healthcare disciplines and was examined its effect and retention. Participants (n=58) completed the program twice, at half-yearly intervals. The effects were evaluated on ‘Beginners’ and ‘Experienced’ students using pre-test/post-test scores, the number of letters transmitted by each AAC for 5 minutes, subjective burden of using AAC, and free-text comments. The pre-test scores at the second attendance were better than at the first attendance. The number of letters was higher in the Experienced than in the Beginners. Text-mining showed that ‘eyestrain’ was lower in the Experienced. This study demonstrated that students retained some knowledge and skills after the program.

Free Research Field

臨床神経学，老年医学，緩和医療学，実践基礎看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

筋萎縮性側索硬化症（ALS）等の神経難病では，構音，書字，身体表現など多様なコミュニケーション障害を生じる．この機能は，患者の意思決定を含む生活全般に欠かせないため，神経難病患者のコミュニケーション支援に，拡大・代替コミュニケーションが用いられ，導入から使用継続まで多職種の支援が求められてきた．一方，医療系学生の卒前および卒後教育において神経難病のコミュニケーション障害の知識や技術を経験する機会は乏しい．今回，医療系学部学生を対象にALSを念頭の神経難病コミュニケーション支援に関する短期教育演習プログラム開発，一定の効果を検証した．これら支援への理解と経験を持つ医療職の育成に寄与すると考える．