Development of a Quality of Life Assessment Scale for Corneal Transplant Recipients

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K17443
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Clinical nursing
• Research Institution: Saitama Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: Sayaka Kon 埼玉県立大学, 保健医療福祉学部, 助教 (50736585)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 角膜移植 / 眼科看護 / 生活の質 / レシピエント

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A patient-reported outcome assessment was developed for corneal transplant recipients as a decision-support tool in patient treatment selection, and the reliability and validity of the instrument were examined. The target population consisted of 261 members of a patients' association who had undergone corneal transplantation, and data from 106 patients collected were analyzed. As a result of exploratory factor analysis using the principal factor method, items were extracted that assumed two factors, "visual function" and "understanding by others." The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was greater than .80, and comorbid validity was confirmed through correlation with an external criterion scale. One of the characteristics of this scale is that items such as "understanding from medical caregivers" were extracted, indicating that the empathetic attitude of medical caregivers may be important for improving patients' QOL.

Free Research Field

慢性看護

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

角膜移植手術は視機能を回復させるための重要な治療法であり。治療効果の測定にあたっては手術後の合併症発生率やや移植後の視力回復だけでなく、患者のQOL（Quality of life）も重要な評価指標である。臨床試験や疫学研究において、患者のQOLを評価するための適切なツールが使用されることによって、手術の効果や治療プログラムの評価がより客観的かつ包括的に行われるようになる。さらに、共通の評価基準が作成されることで研究の結果やデータの比較を容易にすることができることから、角膜移植レシピエントを対象としたQOL評価尺度の開発は、角膜移植患者治療の発展に寄与する。