Development of the support on the End-of-Life discussion with pediatric cancer patients and their family members

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26780408
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Clinical psychology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University (2016-2017); National Cancer Center Japan (2014-2015)
• Principal Investigator: Yoshida Saran 東北大学, 教育学研究科, 准教授 (70636331)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: がん / コミュニケーション / 終末期 / 思春期・若年成人

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We explored the pediatricians’ practice and attitude on the end-of-life discussion with pediatric cancer patients. As a result, while pediatricians nearly reached consensus on the end-of-life discussion for the high school children, the discussion with the younger children remained a controversial subject.
In addition, we conducted an interview survey to the adolescents and young adult patients about having such discussion. As a result, the patients who wanted to discuss said that "the information about terminal condition is necessary for treatment selection" and "I want to think about how to use the remaining time". On the other hand, the patients who didn’t want to discuss said that "the information about terminal condition will make me hopeless ", and "I can understand my condition without being told".

Free Research Field

臨床心理学