The effect of Humanitude care methodology on improving empathy: a six-year longitudinal study of medical students in Japan

BMC Medical Education

Yusuke Fukuyasu¹  Jun Wada¹  Mayu Watanabe²  Hiroko Ogawa³  Masaru Sato³  Toshihide Iwase³  Jennifer DeSantis⁴  Mohammadreza Hojat⁴  Joseph S. Gonnella⁴  Miwako Honda⁵  Chikako Fujii⁶  Hitomi U. Kataoka⁷ 

[1] Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan;Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan;Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan;Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan;Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Asano-Gonnella Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA;Geriatric Research Division, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan;Okayama University Hospital Center for Diversity and Inclusion, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, 700-8558, Okayama, Japan;Okayama University Hospital Center for Diversity and Inclusion, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, 700-8558, Okayama, Japan;Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan;

关键词: Empathy;    Humanitude;    Medical education;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12909-021-02773-x

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundEmpathy, 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.MethodsThis 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.ResultsThe 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.ConclusionsThe 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.

【 授权许可】

CC BY