Medical comics as tools to aid in obtaining informed consent for neurosurgical disease

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K10515
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58010:Medical management and medical sociology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Sasajima Hiroyasu 京都府立医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (80196188)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 荻田 庄吾 京都府立医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 客員講師 (20871164)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 髄膜腫 / 脳梗塞 / インフォームドコンセント / 漫画 / 視覚芸術

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We designed medical comics about meningioma and cerebral infarction to help doctors obtain informed consent intuitively, quickly, and comprehensively. We carried out a questionnaire survey about medical comics with the patients and the families of patients who had suffered meningiomas or acute cerebral infarction. The results showed that 92% responders would prefer or strongly prefer the use of comics in other medical situations. When considering the level of understanding of brain function and anatomy, pathology of disease, and doctor's explanation, 82% of responders, respectively, rated these comics as very useful or useful.We think that the visual and narrative illustrations in medical comics would be more helpful for patients than a lengthy explanation by a doctor. Most of the responders hoped that medical comics would be applied to other medical cases. Thus, medical comics could work as a new communication tool between doctors and patients.

Free Research Field

脳神経外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

「視覚芸術（漫画）」は「文字表現」と比較して一瞬のアイキャッチに優れ、圧倒的な視覚効果で情報伝達が可能であり、ストーリー性による優れた情報有効率（記憶度）を有する利点が評価されている。今回、「インフォームド・コンセント」に視覚芸術（漫画）を加えることで、高度な治療選択が患者家族に迫られる「髄膜腫」、「脳梗塞」について病態説明漫画を作成し、「医療者側と患者側の溝」を解消すべく努力し、報道機関などの取材を受けて一定の評価を得られた。複雑かつ高度な最先端の医療を提供しながら「医療者側と患者側の溝」を解消することは、医療の社会的信用を向上させる上で必須であり、本研究の進化が求められている。