Yumi Kagawa1)
1) Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Course, Department of Human Science, Iwate Medical University Center for Liberal Arts and Sciences
Considering the author’s own experience with illness, this article explores what “standing in another’s shoes” means from philosophical, scientific, and storytelling perspectives. This philosophical discussion shows that other people are ultimately “absolutely unknown entities,” which makes empathy in the sense of “becoming the other” impossible. However, becoming aware of this premise is a starting point for understanding. From a scientific perspective, this article surveys the distinctions between empathy and sympathy, considers transformative learning and empathy research in health care, and argues that efforts to consider another person’s perspective involve not only cognitive skills, but also a process in which one’s own assumptions are shaken and transformed. Furthermore, drawing on narrative medicine and life story research, this article examines how both scientific evidence and personal narratives are required in health care, such as during patients’ and health-care providers’ cocreation of new health narratives. This article proposes a perspective that finds the value of “standing in another’s shoes” not in how accurately one imagined another person’s feelings, but in the process of dialogue itself, which involves mutual transformation. Finally, the importance of considering this question in clinical practice and health communication research is highlighted.
Chikako Yamaki1), Eiji Taira 2), Miho Iwakuma3), Sarasa Kai1), Tomio Nakayama4)
1) Division of Cancer Information Service, Institute for Cancer Control, National Cancer Center Japan
2) Department of Advanced Human Sciences, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
3) Department of Medical Communication, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University
4) Division of Cancer Screening Assessment and Management, Institute for Cancer Control, National Cancer Center Japan
The principle that people with disabilities should have equitable access to health and medical services is reflected
in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,
the concept of “reasonable accommodation” outlined in Japan’s Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities,
and the “cancer control measures that leave no one behind” advocated for in the Basic Plan for Cancer Control.
However, significant barriers remain for people with disabilities and those who struggle to access information when obtaining necessary medical information and accessing medical care or cancer screenings.
In the current study, the social model of disability from disability studies is first introduced,
followed by a description of efforts to provide cancer information in the first language of speakers of minority languages who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.
The results of interviews with stakeholders and persons with disabilities regarding cancer screening are then reported,
and the current challenges and required initiatives are discussed from a health communication perspective.
Improving healthcare providers’ awareness and communication skills, developing information materials that effectively reach recipients,
and providing systemic support are all essential for creating an environment in which people with disabilities can access medical care and screenings without disadvantage.
Mio Kato1), Runa Ogawa2), Tomonori Yamamoto1), Seiji Yasumura3)
1) Japan Institute for Health Security National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response
2) Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health
3) Fukushima Medical University Center for Health Management and Medical Radiation Sciences
The Risk Communication and Community Engagement(RCCE) framework fosters collaboration based on mutual trust in responses to public health crises. This symposium examined the international development of the RCCE approach and highlighted emerging trends that integrate behavioral and information sciences. To provide inclusive support for people requiring special consideration during health crises, such as persons with disabilities, older adults, and children, information sharing and community outreach information networks(COIN) were introduced into the RCCE framework. Furthermore, case studies of collaboration among affected communities, government authorities, and researchers in infectious disease control confirmed the importance of sustained dialogue. This discussion identified four foundational principles of RCCE: mutuality (i.e., building cocreative relationships beyond information exchange), relationality (i.e., maintaining cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary connections), adaptability (i.e., updating methods in response to sociotechnological change), and sustainability (i.e., preserving dialogue and trust after crises). These principles reposition RCCE as a technical framework for emergency communication into a cultural practice that strengthens social resilience. The core of the RCCE framework is not the transmission of essential information but rather the construction of relationships that mediate trust, which form an essential foundation for the sustainable management of public health crises.
Taeko Hamai1), Ayako Nagata 2), Naoko Ono3), Hiroaki Nishikawa4), Sadanori Higashino5)
1) School of Nursing, University of Shizuoka
2) College of Nursing and Nutrition, Shukutoku University
3) Faculty of International Liberal Arts, Juntendo University
4) School of Nursing, Seirei Christpher University
5) School of Management and Information, University of Shizuoka
Objectives: We aimed to investigate the impacts and characteristics of interpretation alterations made by ad hoc interpreters for Brazilian outpatients in Japan.
Methods: A convergent mixed methods case design was used. Routine outpatient encounters involving ad hoc interpreters accompanying Brazilian patients were digitally recorded and transcribed.
Words and phrases that were altered from the source utterance by interpreters were coded as “interpretation alterations” and quantitatively evaluated for type and frequency of occurrence.
Causes and impacts of interpretation alterations were qualitatively analyzed.
Results: In 13 encounters, “role exchange,” in which the interpreter became the interlocutor by speaking beyond the confines of interpretation, was a common ad hoc interpreter behavior.
Among the patterns of role exchange, when the interpreter engaged in dialogue with the doctor (or patient) and communication interactions between the patient, physician,
and interpreter did not function properly, negative alterations of “omission,” “voluntary intervention,” and “substitution,” were often observed, whereas positive “voluntary intervention” was uncommon.
As a result, we observed cases in which interpretation transparency was not ensured and clinically significant interpretation errors remained undetected until the end of the encounter.
Conclusion: Healthcare providers should carefully observe patient and interpreter behaviors and watch for signs of adverse interpretation alterations and “role exchange.”
Shin Katayama 1), Naoto Ichikawa 2), Nobuo Kawaguchi1)2), Manami Takahashi3) , Jin Nakazawa4), Takuro Yonezawa2), Naomi Sugimoto5)
1) Institutes of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University
2) Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University
3) Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University
4) Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University
5) Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, Keio University
Social isolation and loneliness are significant social issues that adversely affect physical and mental health. Health marketing strategies are important for early prevention and mitigation . In the current study, we developed a community group recommendation system combining data from body composition scales with large language models. The system was envisioned for practical use in Oiso Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, using a list of local community groups built with publicly available municipal data. The system provides recommendations for community groups on the basis of individual body composition data. Validation using simulated user data confirmed that it is possible to make community group recommendations on the basis of body composition, potentially contributing to the alleviation of social isolation and loneliness as well as the creation of new social opportunities. However, the system exhibited several limitations, such as recommendations being biased toward body composition data, insufficient reflection of medical evidence and personal preferences, and dependency on the version of the large language model and prompt design. Future improvements should involve supervision by medical and welfare professionals to enhance reliability and reflect the diverse needs of users in system design.
Yui Saito 1), Ryoko Sakai 1), Manabu Akazawa1)
1) Meiji Pharmaceutical University
Collagen diseases are chronic conditions characterized by repeated remission and exacerbation. It is essential to share objective clinical data, such as test results, and subjective perceptions of patients’ symptoms between patients and health care professionals. However, a communication gap often exists, making it difficult to establish shared treatment goals. Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients require individualized and comprehensive support owing to varying levels of maturity and considerable anxiety related to life events. Herein, we explored the roles of patients and health care professionals in sharing treatment goals. We conducted a literature review on self-care and coping as well as factors influencing decision-making and self-efficacy among AYA patients with collagen diseases. Using the search terms “connective tissue disease OR collagen disease OR rheumatic disease OR autoimmune disease,” “self-management OR self-care,” “coping OR stress management,” “decision-making,” and “self-efficacy,” we searched the Japan Medical Abstracts Society (Ichushi-Web) database and Google Scholar. Analysis of 18 selected articles revealed two categories of self-care and coping, as well as three categories related to decision-making and self-efficacy. It is fundamentally important to specify each individual patient’s sense of values and treatment preferences, which can only be clarified through mutual communication between patients and medical professionals.
Ryoko Anazawa 1)
1) Department of Health Communication, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo
In recent years, the number of psychiatric clinics describing themselves as providers of “psychosomatic internal medicine” (shinryo-naika) has rapidly increased in Japan, a phenomenon that is distinctive to Japan’s mental health care system. However, little is currently known about mediating factors related to help-seeking behavior. In this study, approximately 300 articles were identified through a literature search using Google Scholar, PubMed, and other sources, and were reviewed to examine themes related to stigma, labeling theory, and mental health literacy (MHL). First, the label “psychosomatic internal medicine” appears to function as a stigma-reduction strategy by serving as an entry point for individuals who might otherwise avoid psychiatric care. Second, limited public MHL may lead to misperceptions about these clinics, such as viewing “psychosomatic” as mild and “psychiatric” as severe, potentially resulting in inappropriate expectations or care-seeking behaviors. Third, naming practices may increase access to care without necessarily reducing the broader social stigma associated with mental illness. These findings underscore the importance of medical specialty naming strategies, which should be integrated with awareness and communication campaigns to promote MHL and reduce stigma. Future research should empirically examine how specialty names influence perceptions, help-seeking behaviors, and health outcomes.
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