Societal reintegration following cadaveric orthotopic liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Studies on patients' societal reintegration following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are scarce.


METHODS
Between September 2006 and January 2008, all adults who were alive after 3 years post OLT were included in this prospective cohort study. Validated questionnaires were administered to all candidates with the primary aim of investigating the rate of their social re-integration following OLT and potential barriers they might have encountered.


RESULTS
Among 157 eligible patients 110 (70%) participated. Mean participants' age was 57 years (SD 11.4) and 43% were females. Prior to OLT, 75% of patients were married and 6% were divorced. Following OLT there was no significant difference in marital status. Employment rate fell from 72% to 30% post-OLT. Patients who had been employed in either low-skill or advanced-skill jobs were less likely to return to work. After OLT, personal income fell an average of 4,363 Canadian dollars (CAN$) (SD 20,733) (P=0.03) but the majority of recipients (80%) reported high levels of satisfaction for their role in society.


CONCLUSIONS
Although patients' satisfaction post-OLT is high, employment status is likely to be negatively affected for individuals who are not self-employed. Strategies to assist recipients in returning to their pre-OLT jobs should be developed to improve patients' economical status and societal ability to recoup resources committed for OLT.
1 Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada ; 2 Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Ryan
R
Kelly
1 Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada ; 2 Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Scott
S
Hurton
1 Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada ; 2 Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Subhashini
S
Ayloo
1 Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada ; 2 Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Mathew
M
Cwinn
1 Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada ; 2 Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Sarah
S
De Coutere-Bosse
1 Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada ; 2 Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Michele
M
Molinari
Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT); social reintegration