Evaluation of the Validity and Reliability of the Symptom Management Scale at the end of life in Dementia

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19760
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Yumoto Yoshie 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院保健衛生学研究科, 助教 (00755184)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 終末期ケア / 苦痛 / 尺度開発

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to identify the reliability and validity of the Burdensome Status at End of Life in Dementia scale. Thirty-six burdensome statuses and symptoms were confirmed as the scale items through following two processes: validation of the trustworthiness of analysis by independent researchers by checking the rate of concordance with coding, and discussions of content validity of items among medical and care professionals at long-term care facilities. A mail survey, including 2500 special nursing homes throughout Japan, was conducted to identify the reliability and validity of the scale. Over 590 responses were gained (response rate: 24%). Data from the mail survey are currently under analysis. Preliminary items were reported in an international conference in 2022.

Free Research Field

高齢者看護

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

認知症終末期おける苦痛状態は「ケアによって引き起こされている症状・状態」と「終末期の経過として出現する症状・状態」の大きく2つの状況のものが38項目あることが明らかとなった。専門家へのヒアリングにより、38項目のうち36項目が妥当なものであると確認された。中でも「ケアによって引き起こされている症状・状態」は、既存の尺度にはない項目となっている。尺度の信頼性、妥当性については現在確認中であるが、日本の認知症終末期像に沿った項目内容となっており、活用が期待される。