title: Quality of life, depression, and psychosocial characteristics of patients awaiting liver transplants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The identification of the psychological issues that impair the quality of life and the adherence to treatment in transplant candidates are important.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the presence of symptoms of depression and the quality of life of liver transplant candidates.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred liver transplant candidates underwent a psychological analysis using the following instruments: the short form-36 (SF-36) quality of life questionnaire, the Beck depression inventory (BDI), and Structured Interviews for liver transplant candidates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-three (73%) of the patients were males. Interestingly, 63% of the patients were in a domestic partnership. At the time of the evaluation, 55 patients were not working due to illness, 27 patients were actively working, and 11 patients were retired. Importantly, fears related to the transplant (e.g., fear the surgery and of death) were identified in 38% of the patients. The data from this study demonstrated a significant negative correlation between depressive scores (BDI) and seven of the eight areas of quality of life (SF-36), such as functional capacity (r = .317, P = .0013), social aspects (r = -.469, P < .0001), economic aspects (r = -.319, P = .0012), and mental health (r = -.3832, P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data indicated that the psychological aspects related to transplants require psychological intervention because they can affect the recuperation process, the quality of life, and the adherence to treatment for potential transplant patients.
authors.affiliation: FAMERP Medical School, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: G G D
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: L C S
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buzzo
authors.forename: T A R
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: R C M A
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: H C C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: de Felicio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santos Júnior
authors.forename: M C O S
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014850:Waiting Lists; D055815:Young Adult