喉頭全摘出後の夫と共に暮らす妻の失声への構え

How Wives Prepare for Their Husbands' Loss of Voice after Total Laryngectomy

要　旨

　本研究の目的は，喉頭全摘出後の夫と共に暮らす妻の失声への構えを明らかにすることである．

　研究は，質的記述的研究デザインを用い，喉頭全摘出後3カ月を経過している夫の配偶者（妻）5名を対象に，半構成面接法を行い，失声への構えについて分析し，分類した．

　結果，喉頭全摘出後の夫と共に暮らす妻の失声への構えには，《失声に対する理解と認識》《手術に向かう準備》を経て，現実を受け止めようと努力する深い心情である《揺るぎのない受け止め》《揺らぐ自身の受け止め》という相反する揺らぎの状態が共存し，両方の思いをかかえて失声への構えが移り行く過程が描かれた．これらは，喉頭摘出術を受ける夫と共に暮らす妻には，夫の失声に対して，これまでの夫婦としての絆や関わりが映し出され，夫を思うがゆえに自分自身の揺らぎに耐えていこうとする構えがあることがわかった．

　構えとして抽出された9カテゴリーから，その夫婦としてのつながりに目を向け，夫婦の状況を察すること，先を見据えられるように支援することが重要であることが示唆された．

　Purpose: To clarify how wives prepare for their husbands’loss of voice after they undergo a total laryngectomy.

　Methods: A qualitative-descriptive research design was adopted to conduct semi-structured interviews with five wives of men who had undergone a total laryngectomy at least three months prior to the interviews. The study analyzed how these women prepared for the husbands’ loss of voice prior to surgery and classified their responses.

　Results: The results indicate that, prior to surgery, these wives first went through the stages of “understanding and recognizing their husbands’ impending loss of voice” and “preparation for surgery.” They then experienced the conflicting emotions of “unperturbed acceptance of their husbands as they were headed for surgery” and “acceptance of themselves despite anxiety” which are deep feelings of trying to accept the reality of the situation. Thus, the study depicted changes in how the wives, as they experienced these two emotions, prepared themselves for their husbands’ loss of voice.

　Conclusion: A total of nine categories extracted with respect to how wives prepare themselves suggest the importance of observing the couples’ situations by focusing on their bond as husband and wife and providing support so that they can look ahead.