Abstract
A questionnaire research was conducted to obtaine guidelines for future therapy for adolescent cleft lip and palate patients.
The subjects were selec ted from cleft lip and palate patients consulting the cleft lip and palate center of Kumamoto Kinoh Hospital or School of Medicine, Showa University in whom follow-up observation was feasible. The subjects were 13∼18 years (junior and senior high school students) and replies were obtained from these subjects and their guardians (87 patients,98 guardians).
The quesstionnaire sheet which was made up of 25 items was mailed to each guardia n and was answered separately by the patient and guardian. For each item one of 5 possible replies was selected. The main question items concerned the degree of satisfaction (treatment, school life, family life), anxiety (further education, employment, marriage, heredity), and recognition of impediment.
The results were as follows.
1) Both the patient and guardian expressed a high degree of satisfaction, with affirmative answers obtained in the majority of cases regarding satisfaction with treatment, school life, and family life.
2) No tendency to anxiety was found among the patients, with most patients replying“no an x iety”with regard to further education, employment, marriage, and heredity.
3) Among the guardians, most had no anxiety with regard to further education and employment, whereas a tendency to anxiety was found with regard to marriage and heredity, differing significantly from the patients.
4) Rega rding recognition of impediment, the replies of the patients and guardians were very consistent, with the high degree of recognition and the majority of replies stating that they recognized the presence of impediment. In most cases the patient was informed about his impedient during elementary school days from the mother or both parents.
5) Since it is predicted that problems r elated to future social activities may occur, it is considered necessary for the therapist to fulfill a mediatory role between the patient and guardian or patient/guardian and society.
