[Comparison of current activities of daily living (ADL) scores of fetal-type minamata disease patients with their ADL scores 15 years ago and communication disorders of these patients].
OBJECTIVE
The main purposes of this study are to compare the current statuses and activities of daily living (ADL) scores with the same parameters 15 years ago in fetal-type Minamata disease patients and to identify the communication disorders in these patients.


METHODS
An interview survey was conducted on 31 fetal-type Minamata disease patients mainly in 2002 concerning family structure, present status of care, their demand for care, communication status, and ADLs. Changes in ADLs during the past 15 years were also studied in 22 of the patients.


RESULTS
Their mean ages were 45.5+/-3.5 (n=20) for males, and 46.1+/-1.9 (n=ll) for females. The average numbers of family of the patients was 2, and 15 patients lived alone. An analysis of ADLs showed that about 50% of the patients could not walk or take a bath, and 30 to 40% of the patients could not eat, excrete, change their clothes, or wash their face alone. Approximately 80% of the patients could understand daily conversation to some degree. However, their ability to express their demands and thoughts, put an idea into action, remember events, and live like ordinary people were significantly worse than their ability to understand daily conversation. The changes in the ADLs of the 22 patients were not significant for the past 15 years. However, two patients showed a rapid decrease for ADL of movement and 2 other patients died after an interview before 50 years of age.


CONCLUSIONS
Appropriate care in daily living is an important issue for fetal-type Minamata disease patients. Further, the individual health care of such patients is an urgent issue and can prevent their health from rapidly deteriorating.
Liu
Xiao Jie
XJ
Department of Epidemiology, National Institute for Minamata Disease, Kumamoto, Japan.
Sakamoto
Mineshi
M
Kato
Takeko
T
Okamoto
Miwako
M
Arimura
Kimiyoshi
K
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020262:Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects