Anybody can become a patient, but support still falls short

Six in 10 patients and family members report difficulties or disadvantages…social interactions top the list at 40%

KAPO and KRPIA launch joint campaign to improve public understanding

Six in 10 patients and family members are known to have experienced difficulties or disadvantages in carrying out their daily lives.

The Korea Alliance of Patients Organizations (KAPO) and the Korean Research-based Pharma Industry Association (KRPIA) held a press conference at the annex of Sangyeonjae’s City Hall branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, on September 2 to celebrate the launch of a joint campaign, “Patients Beside Us, Us Beside Patients,” aimed at broadening social understanding of patients.

At the event, the two organizations released findings from a survey on perceptions of patients conducted ahead of the campaign. Research Lab surveyed 1,069 respondents: 569 patients and family members and 500 members of the general public, from July 27 to 30.

KAPO President Ki-jong Ahn and KRPIA Vice Chairman Young-shin Lee

88% of patients and their family members as well as 85.6% of the general public agreed that anyone can become a patient. On ‘illness can strike without warning,’ 91.9% of patients and their family members, and 86.4% of the general public agreed, indicating broad recognition that anyone may find themselves in need of care.

Yet 60.3% of patients and their family members said they had experienced at least one difficulty or disadvantage in daily life.

Social relationships and activities were the most frequently cited area, at 40.2%, followed by work, recruitment and promotion at 26.7%, and school and academic life at 22.3%.

Only 33.2% of patients and family members and 28.0% of the general public felt that society currently provides sufficient support for patients. The findings suggest that, though there is consensus on the fact that everybody can become a patient, it has yet to translate into support that adequately addresses the difficulties patients and families face.

The joint campaign was prepared to raise awareness of patients’ everyday lives and challenges and change how society views them. Its slogan, “This Could Be Our Story,” reflects the idea that any patient’s story could become our own.

With the Framework Act on Patients enacted in April and due to take effect on April 29 next year, the campaign also highlights the need for changing social attitudes alongside institutional protections for patients’ rights.

KAPO President Ki-jong Ahn said, “We need to move beyond simply acknowledging that anyone can become a patient and take the next step -- supporting and standing alongside patients around us so they can live without discrimination or disadvantage. We hope this campaign will serve as a starting point for turning empathy into support and solidarity, and solidarity into action.”

KRPIA Vice Chairman Young-shin Lee added, “Patients are not just simply recipients of treatment, but are people whose health and dignity must be protected, just like everyone else. As patient-centered policies expand through developments such as the recent passage of the Framework Act on Patients and drug pricing reforms, we hope this campaign will provide an opportunity to reflect anew on the importance of patients’ rights and safety.”

KAPO and KRPIA plan to share the experiences and voices of patients and their families under the key themes, “Listen,” “Understand” and “Act Together.”

The campaign will also encourage public participation through calligraphy and handwritten-copying challenges, as well as activities on its official Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. These initiatives aim to build greater social awareness so that patients can live without discrimination or disadvantage at school, at work, at home and in their communities.