Social adjustment in long-term survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT)

Authors

• J Park
• L Wehrlen
• L Yang
• SA Mitchell
• MF Bevans

Abstract

Background: Long-term survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) encounter challenges in social adjustment; which have not been well studied. This study examined social adjustment to illness and factors affecting social adjustment in aHSCT survivors. Methods: Cross-sectional data were drawn from a longitudinal study, including patients ≥3 years after their first aHSCT. Five subscales related to social adjustment from Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS), a four-point scale (0-3), were analyzed: vocational environment (VE); domestic environment (DE); sexual relationships (SEX); extended family relationships (ER); and social environment (SE). Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACIT)-Fatigue measured cancer-related fatigue. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate which demographic and clinical factors predicted each subscale controlling for age, gender, fatigue, and time since transplant. Results: Subjects (n=171) were a median of 5.19 years from aHSCT (range 3-16), predominantly male (63%), married (64%), and Hispanic (40%). The mean FACIT-Fatigue was 41.5 (±9.6). The most impaired dimension was ER with 38% of participants reaching clinically relevant levels of maladjustment (≥62;1.6±2.2). Unmarried and unemployed participants had poorer adjustment in VE (p

Scientific Focus Area: Social and Behavioral Sciences

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