Effects of Learning on the Confidence to Provide Medication Education for Pharmacy Students

Japan passed a law that eliminated discrimination against persons with disabilities in 2016. Health care providers must comply with this law and are required to deepen their understanding of disabilities and take action to eliminate discrimination based on a higher level of awareness. Pharmacists need to better understand hearing disabilities to effectively communicate and provide medication education to deaf and hard of hearing (HH). This study examined the understanding about deaf and HH communities and the effects of learning through a lecture and hearing loss simulation experiences on 151 students in Daiichi University of Pharmacy to improve their understanding deaf and HH communities and ability to communicate effectively with deaf and HH patients in providing medication education in April 2018. Before the learning, 125 students indicated a lack of confidence in their ability to communicate medication education due to a lack of understanding. However, 26 students responded that they could communicate with deaf and HH patients despite their misunderstandings about deaf and HH communities and the features of such communication. After the learning 132 students indicated they had the confidence to interact with deaf and HH patients in communication for medication education. This study suggests that students need to learn about deaf and HH communities and develop communication skills to interact with them for medication education. Taking these steps may contribute to creating an educational program to facilitate communication and improve medication education for deaf and HH through effective communication by pharmacists.