This study clarifies patients’ subjective sense of difficulty in The Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act application process for asbestos-related injuries in Japan. Clarifying the degree of difficulty in the application process and providing guidance on effective, efficient methods for applying to Workers’ Comp with minimal burden is crucial for enabling patients to focus on treatment and recuperation, thereby stabilizing their prognosis. The study design was a questionnaire survey in which 647 patients were asked to rate their subjective difficulties in 25 items of the compensation application process. Subjective difficulties occurred in two key processes: “obtaining information, understanding, and identifying causal relationships in Workers’ Comp,” and “consultation and negotiation with the Workplace.” The significant subjective difficulties of the application process often require patient groups, support groups, lawyers, and other related organizations to intervene in the process of consulting and negotiating with the Workplace. Thus, in many cases, consultation and negotiation are carried out on behalf of the patient. Due to the subjective difficulties faced by patients in applying for The Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, medical institutions should not leave the application procedures solely to the patients’ autonomy but take responsibility to establish a support system that minimizes the burden on patients. In particular, a “flow line” should be established in collaboration with the medical social work department, cancer counseling and support center, and patient associations and support groups.
Fukujin et al. (Wed,) studied this question.