著者

荒井 佐和子 進藤 貴子

出版者

川崎医療福祉学会

雑誌

川崎医療福祉学会誌 = Kawasaki medical welfare journal (ISSN:09174605)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.25, no.2, pp.251-257, 2016

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アルツハイマー型認知症(Alzheimer's disease : AD)の初期から終末期までの自然経過を理解することは,認知症の人と家族へのよりよいサポートを行うために重要である.しかし,医療福祉職を目指す学生がAD の進行に伴い生じる症状や取り組むべき課題についてどの程度認識しているのかは明らかでない.そこで,本研究では,医療福祉系大学に在籍する学生が,AD の進行についてどのように認識しているのか,探索的に検討した.調査は127名を対象として,認知症の人との接触経験,知識,およびAD の進行期に対する認識を尋ねた.その結果,認知症の人との接触経験や知識は高かったが,AD の進行期に対する認識は軽度から重度の段階で存在する認知機能障害に関する記述が多く,重度の段階で生じる身体機能の障害に関する記述は少なかった.多くの認知症が進行性であることからも,認知症進行期に関する教育の充実が必要であると考えられた. To provide better support to people with dementia and their families, it is important to understand the development of Alzheimer's disease(AD)from the early stage to the end-of-life. However, it is still unclear whether students who are studying to become health care providers understand the difficulties that arise with the progress of AD. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which students who enrolled in the Medical Welfare University recognize the progression of AD. Undergraduate students of the Medical Welfare University (n = 127)were asked about their contact experience with people with dementia, knowledge of dementia, and their understanding of the advanced stages of AD. It was investigated that many students had contact experience and knowledge of the people with dementia. During the recognition of the advanced stages of AD, many students described the cognitive dysfunction that people experienced from mild to advanced stages of AD; however, there was little understanding of the decline in physical functions in advanced AD. Because the many types of dementia are characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive and physical functions, it is necessary to educate students about advanced dementia.