A Multisite Study on Using Symptom-Targeted Interventions to Improve Mental Health Outcomes of Solid Organ Transplant Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Depression and anxiety are common affective experiences during the first year following a solid organ transplant. This study examined the degree to which an evidenced-based clinical intervention implemented by social workers—Symptom Targeted Intervention—can alter self-reported depression and anxiety in heart, kidney, liver, and lung transplant recipients. Research Questions: This investigation explored 2 questions: (1) Can symptom-targeted interventions significantly reduce posttransplant recipients’ self-reported depression and anxiety at the conclusion of treatment and at 1-month follow-up? and (2) Does the response differ by gender? Design: A 1-group pretest–posttest design with a 1-month follow-up was used to test for changes in anxiety and depression after transplantation. Forty-eight patients at 2 US transplant centers were enrolled between January 2016 and May 2017. Data were collected using an online platform and analyzed to assess for differences over time and by gender. Results: Anxiety decreased significantly between pretest and posttest using the General Anxiety Disorder-2 ( P < .05). Comparisons by gender indicated that women had a significant decrease in anxiety between pretest and posttest ( P < .001); however, there was no significant decrease in anxiety for men. Analyses by gender and time yielded no significant differences for depression. Discussion: Symptom-targeted interventions have the potential to reduce anxiety in solid organ transplant patients and enhance their psychosocial adjustment after surgery.

Depression in transplantation

“…In summary, dynamic psychotherapy had the most positive impact, followed by CBT (which had lower implementation rate) while supportive therapies were effective for depression in approximately 50% of cases [74 ▪▪ ]. A symptom-targeted intervention delivered by social workers to SOT patients did not improve the symptoms of depression [75]. More recently, a positive psychology intervention program administered prekidney and postkidney transplantation to a sample of 40 patients led to decrease in depression scores and was associated with better serum creatinine levels and glomerular filtration rate [76].…”

“…]. A symptom-targeted intervention delivered by social workers to SOT patients did not improve the symptoms of depression [75]. More recently, a positive psychology intervention program administered prekidney and postkidney transplantation to a sample of 40 patients led to decrease in depression scores and was associated with better serum creatinine levels and glomerular filtration rate [76].…”