Ethical issues in the support process to community-dwelling older adults and the family

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K12572
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Community health nursing
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: Saito Emiko 首都大学東京, 人間健康科学研究科, 教授 (90251230)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 表 志津子 金沢大学, 保健学系, 教授 (10320904) ; 村田 加奈子 昭和大学, 保健医療学部, 准教授 (70381465) ; 神崎 由紀 山梨大学, 大学院総合研究部, 准教授 (80381713)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 地域包括ケア / 高齢者 / 倫理

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to understand the ethical issues faced by nurses who provide support to older adults and their family members. We surveyed nurses at community comprehensive care centers in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area using self-administered questionnaires. A total of 143 completed questionnaires (31.9% response rate) were collected during the first year of the survey. The responses revealed the difficulties experienced by nurses providing support in a community. About 84% of the respondents were aware of ethically perplexing situations. The nurses indicated that they were often troubled when the intentions of older adults under their care differed from those of their family members. Furthermore, in the second year of the survey, 166 completed questionnaires were returned (36.7% response rate). The responses indicated that the nurses prioritized the lives and safety of those under their care. Moreover, nurses attached importance to providing multi-disciplinary support.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

病院内での倫理的な課題への実態や対策に関する研究は蓄積されつつあるが、地域包括ケアを展開している地域での倫理的な課題に関する研究はほとんどない。病院内と同様に、地域でのサービス利用者の個人情報保護やインフォームド・コンセント等を含む倫理的な課題の明確化と支援方法の検討は、非常に重要である。本研究の結果は、地域包括ケアとしての支援過程での倫理的な課題を提示し、支援が困難な事象への支援を検討するための知見の一つとなり、学術的意義や社会的意義があると考える。