[Psychosocial need for counselling before and after a lung, liver or allogenic bone marrow transplant--results of a prospective study].
OBJECTIVE
Transplant patients are exposed to many different types of mental and social stress. The study investigates these patients' need for psychosocial counselling.


METHODS
At 6 months and again at 12 months following either a lung, liver or bone-marrow transplantation, 76 patients were questioned about their need for psychosocial counselling. The measuring instruments employed were: SF-36 (quality of life), FLZ (life satisfaction), HADS-D (anxiety/depression), and F-SoZu K-14 (social support).


RESULTS
The need for psychosocial counselling in all three patient groups was at its greatest before transplantation. It amounted to 42.9 % (lung transplantation patients), 50.0 % (liver transplantation patients) and 26.7 % (bone marrow transplantation patients). Six months after transplantation, the need for counselling in all patient groups had quite clearly decreased. Among liver transplant patients, however, it increased again between the sixth and twelfth months. The need for counselling in all patient groups correlated significantly with anxiety. Moreover, at one-year follow-up, significantly negative correlations with mental health, life satisfaction and social support were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Especially during the evaluation phase prior to organ transplantation, transplantation patients demonstrate a considerable need for counselling. Psychosocial counselling should be an obligatory part of therapy before and after organ transplantation.
Goetzmann
Lutz
L
Abteilung Psychosoziale Medizin, Universitätsspital Zürich. lutz.goetzmann@usz.ch
Klaghofer
Richard
R
Wagner-Huber
Regula
R
Halter
Jörg
J
Boehler
Annette
A
Muellhaupt
Beat
B
Schanz
Urs
U
Buddeberg
Claus
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000523:psychology; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D013557:Switzerland