Psychological Predictors (Personal Recourses) of Quality of Life for Heart Transplant Recipients

Background. Heart transplantation (HTx) has a significant impact on all areas of the operation, adjustment, and quality of life (QOL) in patients after heart transplantation. In the process of healing and coping with the new situation, it is important to have personal resources. Aim. The main objectives of this study were to assess subjective QOL of patients after HTx and to determine the relationship between personal resources and QOL in this group of patients. Material and Methods. The study included 121 patients who received a heart transplant. A standardized instrument used to measure the quality of life was the World Health Organization (WHO) QOL Brief Questionnaire. The personal resources and deficits were determined using the following research techniques: Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence (SOC), coping strategies for stress (Brief-COPE), Generalized Self Efficacy Scale (GSES), and Life Orientation Test (LOT-R). The data were analyzed statistically. Results. The patients gained an average level of QOL (13.75). The results indicate a positive relationship between the QOL in all its domains and personal resources: a sense of coherence (r = 0.65; P < .05), optimism (r = 0.55; P < .05), self-efficacy (r = 0.58; P < .05), and strategies for coping (active coping [r = 0.41; P < .05], planning [r = 0.42; P < .05; P < .05], and positive revaluing [r = 0.40; P < .05]). The regression model explained 56% of the predictors of QOL in patients after HTx. Applications. It is necessary to strengthen personal resources in this group of patients as well as to detect early and treat symptoms of depression and to cope with stress.