Abstract
[Background] Although high school students with cancer require educational support encompassing studying and returning to school, currently, this support has been inadequately provided. One factor preventing the provision of this educational support is that its outcomes’ effectiveness is unclear. Thus, we surveyed patients who received such educational support to determine its outcomes and effects.
[Materials and Methods] On the basis of medical records, we retrospectively targeted 14 high school students requiring long-term hospitalization due to blood cancer between April 2005 and April 2021 concerning their return to school, further education, and employment.
[Results] Among them, 10 received educational support (the educational support group), and four did not (the noneducational support group). Aside from study assistance, patients under the educational support group received assistance for returning to school. This took the form of an agreement before being transferred to a special needs school, where they could only return to their original high schools upon being discharged from the hospital. Whereas three of the four students in the noneducational support group stayed back a year after returning to school, those in the other group graduated as scheduled. Compared with the noneducational support group wherein none of the students were able to enroll in a four-year university course, approximately 55% of students in the educational support group were able to do so.
[Discussion] The provision of educational support showed positive outcomes. It was considered that it is important for medical professionals, educators, and even the government to understand the effectiveness of educational support that comprises both learning support and support for returning to school.
