Psychosocial Profile of Patients on the Liver Transplant List

Abstract

Introduction Researchers have shown that psychosocial factors influence adherence to treatment and, consequently, prognosis. Psychosocial assessment during the preoperative outpatient phase has allowed physicians to make better treatment decisions. Objectives We sought to describe the psychosocial profile of patients on the liver transplant list referred for psychological assessment. Method We reviewed all files of patients referred for pretransplant psychological assessment over a 14-month period. Results The sample included 73 patients: mean age 49.46 ± 11.18 years and; mean formal schooling 7.35 ± 4.65 years. Of those, 56.1% reported a cognitive complaint; 33%, symptoms of anxiety, and 17%, depression. Of the sample, 45.8% were referred for alcohol use, and 37.5% for mood changes. During the assessment, 15.9%, 34.4%, and 1.6%, of patients reported using alcohol, tobacco, or some other type of drug, respectively. Of patients, 53.6% reported having used alcohol at some point in their life—26% tobacco and 10.9% some other type of drug. After the assessment, the main referrals were 35.6% to family counseling, 32.1% to cognitive assessment, and 28.5% to psychological counseling. Conclusion This study highlighted the prevalence of cognitive complaints and current/previous use of chemical substances. These findings were identified through psychological inquiry, which was able to direct the individual treatments. Although these conditions prevailed among this population, their early detection allowed for early intervention to improve adherence and minimize possible intervening problems.