Perfil psicológico y estrategias de afrontamiento ante la enfermedad de los pacientes en lista de espera para un trasplante hepático

  1. VARGAS ACOSTA, ANGEL MANUEL
Supervised by:
  1. Ana Isabel López Navas Director
  2. Pablo Ramírez Romero Director
  3. Antonio Ríos Zambudio Director

Defence university: Universidad de Murcia

Fecha de defensa: 02 February 2016

Committee:
  1. José Antonio Pons Miñano Chair
  2. Gregorio Garrido Cantarero Secretary
  3. Jesús María Villar del Moral Committee member
Department:
  1. Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Type: Thesis

Abstract

Psychological profile and coping strategies with the disease of patients on the waiting list for a liver transplant In end chronic liver patients the presence of psychological disorders is understimated in clinical activity. However, psychiatric comorbidity is a factor that worsens the prognosis of any disease. The psychological and coping strategies have not been studied sufficiently in patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation, but other organs other as kidney and heart. Patients waiting for a liver transplant need support, social and psychological, as they suffer a chronic disease with deterioration, along with the uncertainty of being on the waiting list without knowing the date of the intervention and to ignore the result of it. Knowing the psychological profile of the patient, coping style and social support having, as has been shown in several studies, it is of great importance in the success of transplantation, physical recovery, care of the body and stability in the treatment. Knowing these variables could condition future staff training in psychological support to patients and families, with the addition of a health professional in transplant units. HYPOTHESIS. Patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation have a high incidence of psychopathological symptoms. OBJETIVES. 1) analyze the incidence of psychopathological symptoms of the patient on the waiting list for a liver transplant; 2) Determine strategies for coping with the disease; 3) Analyze the functionality of family and social support to the patient; 4) analyze the relationship between social support and coping strategies; 5) To define the psychological profile of patients on the waiting list for a liver transplant. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Study population: patients on the waiting list for a liver transplant in a transplant hospital in the southeastern Spanish, with liver transplant program, living and dead. Assessment instruments: Psychological Profile: Social and personal history; Mini-Mental-State-Examination; Symptom Inventory-Short-Psychopathologic; -International Neuropsychiatric Interview; Apgar-Family; -Social Support Questionnaire. Coping with the disease: Questionnaire mental adjustment to illness. RESULTS. The study was perfomed in 24 months. In this period were included on the waiting list for liver transplantation 122 patients. The completion rate was 92%. 112 patients were interviewed; the patients who were not interviewed was for several reasons: exitus in 5 patients; continued hospitalization in 4 patients; presence of hepatic encephalopathy grade III in 1 patient. Psychological profile: The average age of those tested is 55; 78% are male; 72% are married, 80% have children and 75% basic studies. 68% of patients have emotional psychopathological symptoms, depressive type, anxious and obsessive-compulsive 48%, respectively. In socio-family support, 27% have a perception about the dysfunctional family function. The average size of the social network is 13 persons, with standard deviation of 8,676. According to the Global Support Index, 21% of those tested have a social and / or family support nonfunctional. Coping with the disease: 8% has a good adaptation to the disease. The remaining 92% is maladaptive; of them, 79% have less fighting spirit, 51% use the anxious concern as coping with the disease, 34% is based on fatalism, in denial 29% and 27% helplessness. CONCLUSIONS. Liver patients from inclusion on the transplant waiting list have inadequate adaptation to the disease with important emotional implications that result in psychological disorders. It is therefore important to establish appropriate psychological care to these patients from pre-transplant given the significant impact on post-transplant phase.