Quality of life concerns and depression among hematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors

• Published in: Supportive care in cancer Vol. 19; no. 9; pp. 1357 - 1365
• Main Authors: Mosher, Catherine E., DuHamel, Katherine N., Rini, Christine, Corner, Geoffrey, Lam, Joanne, Redd, William H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-09-2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Cancer; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - etiology; Depression, Mental; Employment - statistics & numerical data; Female; Health Status; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation - psychology; Hematopoietic stem cells; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - therapy; Nursing; Nursing Research; Oncology; Original Article; Pain Medicine; Quality of Life; Rehabilitation Medicine; Severity of Illness Index; Stem cells; Surveys and Questionnaires; Survivors - psychology; Transplantation; Transplantation, Autologous; Transplantation, Homologous; Transplants & implants; Psychological; Depression; Sexual health; Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; Quality of life; Cancer survivorship
• ISSN: 0941-4355; 1433-7339
• DOI: 10.1007/s00520-010-0958-y

Purpose
This study examined quality of life, transplant-related concerns, and depressive symptoms and their demographic and medical correlates at 1 to 3 years following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
Methods
HSCT survivors (
N
 = 406) completed telephone-administered questionnaires that assessed demographic variables, functional status, quality of life, transplant-related concerns, and depressive symptoms.
Results
The most prevalent concerns among HSCT survivors included physical symptoms (e.g., fatigue and pain), maintaining current health status and employment, changes in appearance, and lack of sexual interest and satisfaction. In addition, almost one-third (32%) of survivors age 40 years and younger reported concern about their ability to have children. Unemployed survivors and those with lower incomes and worse functional status were more likely to experience poorer quality of life in multiple domains. Fifteen percent of the sample reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms, and these symptoms were higher among allogeneic transplant recipients and those with lower functional status.
Conclusions
Results suggest that interventions are needed to address physical symptoms, coping with an uncertain future, infertility, and sexual issues during the early phase of HSCT survivorship.