Waiting for a Liver Transplant: Psychosocial Well-Being, Spirituality, and Need for Counselling

The number of patients in need of a liver transplant vastly exceeds the number of available organs; the demand worldwide for organs leads to increased waiting times and mortality of patients on the waiting list. The aim of our study was to assess the psychosocial well-being of transplant candidates and their need for psychosocial counselling.MethodsSixty-nine liver transplant candidates were asked about their psychosocial well-being, quality of life, spirituality, and need for counselling assessed by interview and questionnaire (HADS-D, FLZ, LOT, SOC, SF-36, SBI-15R) during the initial evaluation procedure for organ transplantation as well as 3 and 6 months after listing.ResultsCandidates for a liver transplant exhibited a significant limitation in the levels of their quality of life and psychological well-being, compared with the community normal samples. They showed significantly higher levels of anxiety, but lower levels of spirituality. Almost half of the candidates (47%) expressed a need for counselling during the evaluation procedure. Patients with advanced diseases reported a lower need. Age and the personality-related “Sense of Coherence” correlated negatively with need for counselling. On the waiting list, psychosocial parameters and functions remained largely stable; the need for counselling decreased significantly.ConclusionsThere is a relevant need for psychosocial counselling during the process of liver transplant evaluation. Need for counselling is associated with personality and age, as well as with somatic parameters.