Effect of Medical Educational Lectures by Pharmacists for Understanding and Relieving Post-laryngectomy Symptoms

Patients who underwent total laryngectomy (TL) are limited in their access to health information and have reduced quality of life because of difficulties in communicating with health providers. Understanding the method for coping with symptoms after TL is important to self-control. However, their understanding and relief regarding the method including medicine use are not well known. In this study, we conducted a current situation survey about symptoms after TL and held medical educational lectures (ML) by pharmacists for the patients. We used one questionnaire to survey the present situation and another to evaluate the understanding and relieving about the method including medicine use for coping with four symptoms, such as constipation, insomnia, having phlegm, and skin dryness before and after ML. Most participants had one or more symptoms and felt there was a communication barrier between them and their health provider. The participants felt inadequate understanding and relief before the ML, but these were improved after ML. There was a positive correlation between the understanding and relief before ML. In conclusion, the participants might not feel relief of four symptoms because of inadequate understanding of the method including medicine use for coping with their symptoms. Grasping the current situation and medication use of patients after TL by pharmacists will be helpful for appropriate medication use.