Illness perceptions predict health practices and mental health following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Abstract

Objective Beliefs about illness have been shown to shape health practices and coping efforts. The present study investigated illness perceptions among patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). We also examined the extent to which perceptions predicted health practices and mental health following transplant. Methods Participants (N = 332) completed measures of illness perceptions (beliefs about cancer consequences and course, personal and treatment control over cancer, and understanding of one's cancer) prior to HSCT. Health practices (diet, physical activity, and alcohol use) and mental health (depression, anxiety, and psychological well‐being) were assessed pre transplant and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post transplant. Results On average, HSCT recipients felt they understood their cancer, viewed their cancer to be a chronic condition with severe consequences, and believed they had moderate personal control over their cancer but that medical treatment provided more control. Perceptions varied by transplant type. Mixed‐effects linear regression models revealed that HSCT recipients who perceived the consequences of their cancer to be more serious experienced more depression and anxiety, less well‐being, and ate a healthier diet, but were less physically active during the year following transplant. Those with greater personal and treatment control ate a healthier diet and reported greater well‐being. Patients with a better understanding of their cancer also ate a healthier diet and reported less depression, less anxiety, and greater well‐being. Conclusions Perceptions of cancer shape HSCT recipients' health practices and psychological well‐being during the critical first year of recovery after transplant.

Overt gastrointestinal bleeding following haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: incidence, outcomes and predictive models

“…Alcohol has always been known to have a substantial effect on the occurrence of GIB [61][62][63][64][65]. However, alcohol was not correlated with GIB after haplo-HSCT in our research, potentially because most patients entirely avoided alcohol before HSCT [66]. Until now, no study has investigated the relationship between alcohol and GIB after haplo-HSCT.…”

The influence of social constraints on the quality of life of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation survivors: The chain mediating effect of illness perceptions and the fear of cancer recurrence

“…Further evidence has shown that individuals who viewed cancer as a chronic disease with uncontrollable negative consequences exhibited more fear of cancer recurrence than those who had positive attitudes regarding the disease (Lee-Jones et al, 1997). This position was corroborated by researchers who investigated HCT patients over a period of 1 year and found that those who experienced more control over their cancer status and had a better understanding of their disease engaged in better mental health and active health practices (Nelson et al, 2019). Therefore, we speculate that illness perceptions can influence quality of life via the fear of cancer recurrence.…”

A prospective study of the relationship between illness perception, depression, anxiety, and quality of life in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients

“…23 Patients answer items on a Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). On this measure responses can be categorized according to level of depression including minimal (0-4), mild (5-9), moderate (10)(11)(12)(13)(14), moderately severe (15)(16)(17)(18)(19), and severe (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27). The PHQ-9 was administered at baseline, Day 100, and 1 year.…”