Quality of life and changes in the social dimension of hematopoietic stem cell transplants recipients

Abstract

Objectives: to assess/correlate health-related quality of life with the social dimension of hematopoietic, autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplant patients in the three years post-transplant. Methods: longitudinal, observational study with 55 patients, in a reference hospital in Latin America, from September 2013 to February 2019, using the Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core and Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy Bone Marrow Transplantation. Results: A total of 71% underwent allogeneic transplantation. The social dimension had low averages since the baseline stage (55, 21) and low scores (56) for quality of life in pancytopenia. There was a significant positive correlation between social dimension, quality of life in pancytopenia (p<0.01) and follow-up after hospital discharge (p<0.00). There is a significant difference (p<0.00) throughout the stages, however, not in terms of the type of transplant (p>0.36/0.86). Conclusions: patients with better assessments in the social dimension have a better quality of life. Interventions focusing on the multidimensionality of the quality of life construct are necessary.