Development of digital tools to support health management of childhood cancer survivors

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19807
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Society medicine, Nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Hori Hiroki 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (40252366)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 豊田 秀実 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (60525327)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 小児がん / がん告知 / 小児がん経験者 / 晩期合併症 / 長期フォローアップ / 健康管理意識 / 患者教育 / 教育用ゲーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study revealed the challenging tasks in long-term follow-up for childhood cancer survivors and proposed the remedial measures. The practice of cancer disclosure to children steadily increased for the last 20 years in Japanese institutions, but the performing rate for younger children remained low. The gap on hope for truth-telling between parents and children was not changed for 20 years. Cancer education for the society should be enhanced to improve this situation. The major pediatric cancer centers in Japan take care of approximately 300 patients per year averagely and regard the transition to adult clinics and information provision as issues to be work on. This study also produce a novel educational program for the patients using game tools. The program was proved to be effective for increases in their health management awareness and knowledges on late effects.

Free Research Field

小児科学、血液腫瘍学、医学教育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、日本における子どもを対象にしたがん告知について、その実施率と社会意識の歴史的変遷を明らかにすることで、小児がん患児の診療と長期フォローアップにおける課題を抽出し、解決策を提言した。特に、本邦も批准している子どもの権利条約に基づく子どもの権利の尊重に関する課題を明らかにし、改善に向けての方向性を提示した。さらに、新しい患者教育の方策として、教育用ゲームツールを開発し、その有効性の確認と今後の活用方法の提言を行った。この研究成果を用いて、小児がん経験者への患者教育の充実を図ることができると考える。