BMCActa Medica Okayama1472-69202112021The effect of Humanitude care methodology on improving empathy: a six-year longitudinal study of medical students in Japan316ENYusukeFukuyasuDepartment of Nephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHitomi U.KataokaOkayama University Hospital Center for Diversity and InclusionMiwakoHondaGeriatric Research Division, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical CenterToshihideIwaseDepartment of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHirokoOgawaDepartment of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasaruSatoDepartment of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMayuWatanabeDepartment of Nephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesChikakoFujiiOkayama University Hospital Center for Diversity and InclusionJunWadaDepartment of Nephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesJenniferDeSantisDepartment of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Asano-Gonnella Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson UniversityMohammadrezaHojatDepartment of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Asano-Gonnella Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson UniversityJoseph S.GonnellaDepartment of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Asano-Gonnella Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson UniversityBackground<br>Empathy, which involves understanding another person's experiences and concerns, is an important component for developing physicians' overall competence. This longitudinal study was designed to test the hypothesis that medical students' empathy can be enhanced and sustained by Humanitude Care Methodology, which focuses on perception, emotion and speech.<br><br>Methods<br>This six-year longitudinal observational study examined 115 students who entered Okayama University Medical School in 2013. The study participants were exposed to two empathy-enhancing programs: (1) a communication skills training program (involving medical interviews) and (2) a Humanitude training program aimed at enhancing their empathy. They completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) seven times: when they entered medical school, before participation in the first program (medical interview), immediately after the first program, before the second program (Humanitude exercise), immediately after the second program, and in the 5th and 6th year (last year) of medical school. A total of 79 students (69% of the cohort) completed all seven test administrations of the JSE.<br><br>Results<br>The mean JSE scores improved significantly after participation in the medical interview program (p<0.01) and the Humanitude training program (p=0.001). However, neither program showed a sustained effect.<br><br>Conclusions<br>The Humanitude training program as well as medical interview training program, had significant short-term positive effects for improving empathy among medical students. Additional reinforcements may be necessary for a long-term sustained effect.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-155812712015岡山大学勤務医師による非常勤勤務を通した地域医療支援の現状調査1317ENSanaeTeshigawaraToshihideIwaseTatsuyaKanamoriTomokoKawabataMasaruSatoHitomiUsui Kataoka We investigated the situation of how physicians at Okayama University support local medical institutions by serving as a part-time worker, and analyzed the difference between the five medical districts of Okayama prefecture and other prefectures. Many physicians (actual number of physicians, full-time equivalent number of physicians) served in the southeastern region of the Okayama prefecture (339, 82.2). On the other hand, fewer physicians (42, 11.4) served in Takahashi・Niimi in the northwestern region of Okayama. Many physicians also served in Hiroshima prefecture (193, 48.8), Hyogo prefecture (109, 26.7), and the four prefectures of Shikoku Island (81, 23.6).
It has been clarified that many physicians at Okayama University are working on a part-time basis to support local and community medical institutions in the wide area of Okayama prefecture, Hiroshima prefecture, Hyogo prefecture and the four prefectures of Shikoku Island.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.