Social support and quality of life of patients prior to stem cell or bone marrow transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the positive and detrimental aspects of social support prior to allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation/stem cell transplantation. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHODS: Patients completed the German version of the Illness-specific Social Support Scale (ISSS) and the Quality of Life (QoL) Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). RESULTS: Participants were 282 patients (62% autologous SCT, 39% women, 97% haematological malignancies, 72% with partner). We found satisfactory reliability values for both ISSS scales: positive support (Cronbach's alpha=.91) and problematic support (=.73). Patients living with a partner displayed higher scores in positive interaction than patients living alone (p<.001). Analysis showed a significant main effect of partnership, p<.001; F(1)=8.345, and better scores for women, p<1; F(1)=2.758. Furthermore, we determined a negative correlation between problematic interaction and emotional/social function (p<.001) and a positive correlation with insomnia, but no correlation between positive interaction, QLQ-C30, and Karnofsky's index. CONCLUSIONS: We could distinguish between helpful and harmful support, and determine clinically important associations of problematic support. Partnership seems to be a major source of positive interaction.

Social support, affectivity, and the quality of life of patients and their support-givers prior to stem cell transplantation.

PURPOSE: To determine differences and interdependencies between patients and their support-givers prior to PBSCT. METHOD: Patients and their principal support-givers completed the Illness- Specific Social Support Scale (ISSS), the Profile of Mood States, and the EORTC QLQ-C30. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-five of 200 eligible patients replied. They nominated spouse/partner (70.6%), friends, and children as principal support source. Patients receiving social support from spouses reported a better HRQoL than patients who nominated other persons as the principal source of social support. Patients perceived more positive (p < .01) and more problematic (p < .05) social interactions than support-givers. The support-givers nominated: children (25.8%), spouse/partner, and siblings. Analysis showed an additional effect of gender and support-giving role (female patients scored worst in overall QoL, male support- givers best). CONCLUSION: Psychotherapeutic interventions should not only address the patients' problems but also the support-givers' questions, needs, and psychosocial burdens.