The effects of providing information on house adaptation for intractable disease patients

focus on a support for the national spinocerebellar degeneration patients friendship association

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of providing information on house adaptation for spinocerebellar degeneration patients (n=1084). We surveyed patients using two questionnaires and visiting these patients to investigate their actual conditions. Responses from 366 patients (response rate,35.3%) were analyzed. As a result,71 % of patients' houses were already reformed. An additional 114 persons who lived in houses that had already been reformed were motivated to achieve more house adaption, and developed their plans to reform. Twenty-seven patients whose houses had not been previously reformed were motivated to begin reform. Patients expected information from care managers and reform specialists, including concrete explanations of the process and photographs of house adaption showing five patients' levels.