A Correlative Study on Social Support and Quality of Life in Patients After Adult Liver Transplantation

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of life among adult liver transplantation patients and to explore the relationship between social support and quality of life in patients. Methods: This descriptive study contain 105 patients who underwent liver transplantation. The general information questionnaire, social support rating scale (SSRS), and post-liver transplant quality of life questionnaire (pLTQ) were used. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS 18.0 software, and independent t test, ANOVA, Pearson and correlation analysis were implemented. Results: The total score of social support in adult liver transplant patients was 45.35 ± 7.31, including subjective support dimension (26.84 ± 4.13), objective support (11.42 ± 3.40), and utilization of social support (7.09 ± 2.12). The total score of quality of life in adult liver transplant patients was 138.08 ± 26.31, including anxious (37.23 ± 9.86), physical function (26.60 ± 5.51), emotional function (21.23 ± 4.35), financial (12.59 ± 4.80), healthcare (24.89 ± 5.27), and complications (15.55 ± 3.38). The total score of social support was positively correlated with the total score of quality of life (r = 0.313), anxious (r = 0.299), physical function (r = 0.255), emotional function (r = 0.215), healthcare (r = 214), and complications (r = 217). Objective support was positively correlated with total score of quality of life (r = 0.246), anxious (r = 0.209), emotional function (r = 0.210) and complications (r = 0.293). Subjective support was positively correlated with total score of quality of life (r = 0.361), anxious (r = 0.404), physical function (r = 0.305), economy (r = 0.281), healthcare (r = 0.199), and complications (r = 0.238). Conclusions: There is a positive correlation between social support and quality of life after adult liver transplantation.