Psycho-social aspects before and up to 2 years after heart or lung transplantation - experience of patients and their next of kin.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial factors are important for patients undergoing heart (HTx) or lung (LTx) transplantation, and for their next of kin (NoK). AIM: To describe health-related quality of life (patients only), anxiety, depression, stress, coping ability and burden (NoK only) for patients and their NoK before and up to 2 years after HTx or LTx. DESIGN: Adult patients (28 heart and 26 lung) and their appointed NoK were surveyed with questionnaires about specific psychosocial topics when they were accepted for the transplantation waiting list and 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after transplantation. FINDINGS: Patients' coping ability and self-perceived health were low at baseline and improved over time after the transplantation. However, lung patients took longer time to recover in terms of health-related quality of life, depression, and stress than heart patients. Similarly, NoK of lung patients experienced a higher burden and more stress 1 year after transplantation than NoK of heart patients. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare professionals should be aware of the psychosocial challenges patients and their NoK face in daily living and provide support both before and after heart or lung transplantation. Especially, given that these patients have a serious, chronic, underlying disease. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.Funding agencies: Skane University Hospital; Region Ostergotland; Dahlback foundation, Lund