[Overview of efforts]

Social background

 Locomotive syndrome refers to a condition in which the mobile function is impaired due to disorders of the locomotive organs. Cancer patients often suffer from locomotive syndrome since their mobile function is impaired due to decreased physical strength. As a result, their daily life activities deteriorate and they have difficulty working and participating in society.
 

Purposes of the activities

 Prevention is the key to fighting locomotive syndrome, and it is important not only to establish a system to prevent cancer patients from suffering from locomotive syndrome in the hospital but also to raise awareness among medical personnel.
 

Overview of activities

 We started providing a cancer rehabilitation program to prevent cancer patients from suffering from locomotive syndrome, ahead of other hospitals in Japan. We are also making efforts to prevent cancer patients from suffering from locomotive syndrome through multidisciplinary intervention at the Okayama University Hospital. We have been involved in many educational activities to promote the health of locomotive organs of cancer patients, including holding academic conferences and public lectures and publishing books, in Okayama Prefecture, the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, and other regions in Japan. We are currently conducting an epidemiological survey on locomotive syndrome in cancer patients at the Okayama University Hospital and plan to develop a method to prevent cancer patients from suffering from locomotive syndrome based on the results of the survey.
 

Expected effects

 Recently, cancer treatment is shifting to outpatient care, and cancer patients are expected to be able to live at home, maintaining their daily life activities, and society’s need to prevent cancer patients from suffering from locomotive syndrome is increasing. Making the efforts to prevent cancer patients from suffering from locomotive syndrome widespread is expected to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and enhance their employment and social activities. This initiative is in line with the targets 3, 8 and 11 of the SDGs.