Present Status of Research on Psychosocial Outcomes in Cardiothoracic Transplantation— Review and Recommendations for the Field

Published 1 June 2006

Sandra Cupples, DNSc, RN; Mary Amanda Dew, PhD; Kathleen L. Grady, PhD, APN; Sabina De Geest, PhD, RN; Fabienne Dobbels, PhD; Dorothy Lanuza, PhD, RN; Wayne Paris, PhD

J Heart Lung Transplant 2006 Jun;25(6):716-25

• Advanced Heart Failure & Transplantation
• Advanced Lung Failure & Transplantation
• Cardiology
• Consensus Document
• Nursing & Allied Health
• Pulmonology

Cardiothoracic transplantation’s success at prolonging life—and its economic costs—must be considered relative to its psychosocial benefits and costs. Moreover, psychosocial outcomes themselves influence long-term post-transplant morbidity and mortality rates. Although psychosocial outcomes—encompassing patients’ physical, psychologic and social functioning, their management of their medical regimen and global quality of life—are the focus of many recent studies, these investigations have yet to yield many evidence-based interventions that are routinely applied to improve patient outcomes.

The goal of this document is to summarize existing work on psychosocial outcomes, delineate areas requiring attention, offer recommendations for steps to advance the field, and thereby provide an impetus for the conduct of clinical trials of interventions to improve these outcomes.

Read at JHLT

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