A nationwide survey regarding the life situations of patients with thalidomide embryopathy in Japan, 2018: First report

Background Clinical studies on the effects of thalidomide-induced damage on thalidomide victims as they age have only recently started to be conducted, but no studies have examined socioeconomic differences in terms of healthcare and social status between thalidomiders and the age-matched general population in Japan. Therefore, we carried out a nationwide survey focusing on the life situations of thalidomiders. Method Questionnaires were sent to 274 thalidomiders in Japan. The questionnaire items basically matched those of the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions (CSLC) in the general population conducted by the Japanese Government. The results were compared with those of the CSLC for individuals aged 55-59 years, which was the cohort most similar in age to the average thalidomider living in Japan. Results More thalidomiders rated their health condition as relatively bad or bad compared with the general population (20.2% vs. 13.3%, respectively). A much higher percentage of thalidomiders reported having some health or physical problem caused by a disease or injury (68.8% vs. 32.6%, respectively), and thalidomiders reported visiting medical and healthcare-related facilities more frequently. A higher proportion of thalidomiders (8.1%) were unemployed, and thalidomiders tended to feel higher levels of worry and stress, especially in terms of the future. Conclusions The results of this nationwide survey of the life situations of thalidomiders in Japan clarified their health conditions and the related associations with socioeconomic status. These findings could be expected to help improve the provision of medical and healthcare, welfare measures, and financial support for thalidomiders in the near future.