ABSTRACT
Introduction: Research was carried out using a mixed method approach in order to evaluate the educational effects of medical students' visit of an elderly home.Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with 5 medical students and 5 elderlies. All interviewees had experienced the visitation program more than three times. Self-administrative questionnaires were built based on the results of the focus group interview. The questionnaire was then distributed to medical students and elderlies who participated in the program.Results: A total of 84 medical students and 30 elderlies provided informed consent to participate in the study and returned the questionnaire. Nearly 70 percent of the students answered that they had gotten to know about the life of elderly people and sixty percent of the elderlies answered they had experienced some favorable changes after joining the program. While ninety percent of the elderly were satisfied with the program, only half of the students showed positive comments toward it.Discussion: To help all students participate in this program more actively, more organized planning is necessary so that students can have more chances to build communication skills and clarify their own objectives when visiting the elderly.
ABSTRACT
<b>Purpose</b>: We conducted a group seminar for lung cancer patients. The purpose of the group seminar was to eliminate the negative notions about opioids and to impart the right knowledge about these drugs. Further, we investigated the notions about opioids and the effectiveness of the group seminar. <b>Methods</b>: A pharmacist conducted a group seminar on opioids for lung cancer inpatients who agreed to participate in the group seminar. Moreover, we performed a questionnaire survey before and after the delivery of the group seminar. <b>Results</b>: Sixty patients answered the questionnaire. After completion of the group seminar, the understanding and knowledge about opioids increased, as indicated by the responses of the patients to all of the questions. <b>Conclusion</b>: Complete elimination of the negative notion about opioids could not be achieved through the group seminar. However, the group seminar was thought to be one of the useful methods of educating patients. If a patient resists treatment with opioids, control of pain may be delayed. This in turn would hamper improvement of the quality of life. Therefore, we consider that it is necessary that a patient has the right knowledge about opioids beforehand. Palliat Care Res 2011; 6(1):109-118