Self-Management Behavior, Symptom Occurrence, and Psychological Distress in Liver Transplant Recipients in China: A Descriptive Correlational Study.

Abstract Purpose Little is known about the status of self-management behaviors, symptoms, and psychological distress in liver transplant recipients. This study aimed to assess these variables and explore their relationships in a sample of liver transplant recipients in Shanghai, China. Basic procedures A descriptive correlational design was used in this study. A total of 255 liver transplant recipients from 2 tertiary hospitals completed structured questionnaires. Main findings The mean total score for self-management behavior was 76.00 ± 12.71. Marital status, level of education, per capita monthly income, time from transplantation, and readmission to hospital affected the level of self-management behaviors. The mean number of symptoms was 14.74 ± 6.94. The occurrence of graft rejection, complications, and hospital readmission were positively correlated with the number of symptoms. There were 44 (17.3%) liver transplant recipients with anxiety symptoms and 68 (26.7%) with depression symptoms. Lower education was associated with higher anxiety scores. The participants’ marital status, educational level, employment, per capita monthly income, and readmission to hospital were factors influencing depression. Self-management behaviors had a significant negative association with the number of symptoms and with and anxiety and depression scores. Principal conclusions The self-management behaviors of liver transplant recipients need to be improved. Recipients experience a number of symptoms and some degree of anxiety and depression. Nurses should provide continued interventions to promote self-management behavior according to recipients’ specific characteristics, symptoms, and psychological problems.