Psychosocial Impact of Heart Transplantation on Spouses

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial impact of heart transplantation on spouses and compare the adjustment of spouses and their partners. Data were collected from 51 couples prior to transplant and 12 months posttransplant. The Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) was used to measure adjustment in seven domains. Prior to the transplant, spouses experienced profound psychosocial distress related to their partner's illness. From pretransplant to posttransplant, PAIS total score decreased (lower scores indicate better adjustment) for spouses (M = 42, SD = 16, vs. M = 26, SD = 13). Spouses showed improvement in all domains. Posttransplant, patients' and spouses' PAIS total scores (overall adjustment) were not significantly different. Spouses reported more psychological distress than patients; patients reported more problems than spouses in vocational and domestic function. Study findings highlight the importance of sensitivity in the clinical setting to the distinct psychosocial needs of spouses.

Relative's experiences before and after a heart or lung transplantation

“…Consistent with other studies in heart or lung transplantation (14,17) some relatives in this study stated a financial strain due to the illness. Financial difficulties were partly due to the family budget but also to the national insurance system.…”

“…The relatives have an important role, and they are influenced by the state and progression of the illness (7,8). During the waiting period, relatives tend to forsake their own needs, activities and friends in their daily life (8,14,15) and they experience an increased caregiver burden (16,17). Studies have shown economic strain for more than half of the relatives of patients on the waiting list (18,19).…”

Personality traits predicting long‐term adjustment after surgery for ulcerative colitis

“…The PAIS-SR has been used to study adjustment in a variety of conditions, such as cancer (Merluzzi & Martinez Sanchez, 1997), heart transplantation (Bohachick, Reeder, Taylor, & Anton, 2001), and HIV/AIDS (Karus, Siegel, & Raveis, 1999). The instrument assesses adjustment in seven domains: health care orientation (patients' preoccupation with health concerns and trust in the health care system), vocational environment (work, school, housework), domestic environment (relationships at home), sexual relationship (interest, activities, function/dysfunction), extended family environment (relationships with relatives outside the nuclear family), social environment (social and leisure-time activities), and psychological distress (anxiety, depression, hostility, guilt, etc.).…”

The Unsteady Mainstay of the Family: Now Adult Children’s Retrospective View on Social Support in Relation to Their Parent’s Heart Transplantation

“…Holidays were also affected. Studies have confirmed that patients and their partners have financial problems in connection with the heart transplantation [6, 28]. Although most of the children seemed to manage rather well, they were all strongly affected by the disease [14].…”