Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112905

Adriana Macias Chamorro, MA¹, M.F. Dulay, MA², Robert G. Harper, PhD³, and Ranjit Chacko, MD³. (1) Department of Psychology, Loma Linda University: Graduate School, 11130 Anderson Street, Suite 102, Loma Linda, CA 92354, 909-379-1507, adrycham@houston.rr.com, (2) Department of Psychology, University of Cincinatti, 2600 Clifton Ave, Cincinatti, OH 45221, (3) Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, 6550 Fannin, Houston, TX 77025

Research has shown a high prevalence of depression (31-50%) in liver transplant candidates (LTC). Thus, the present study sought to better understand factors that differentiate depressed from non-depressed LTC by examining the contribution of psychosocial, personality, and cognitive variables on depression. Sample consisted of 194 LTC (mean age 49.2; 64% male) referred for psychological evaluation between 1990-2004. Mood was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). A raw score greater than 13 was used to define the depressed group and an amended version of the BDI-II (A-BDI-II) was constructed by removing questions related to physical health. Predictors of depression included subtests of the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale [vocational and domestic impairment, and quality of family relations], Millon Behavioral Health Inventory [introversion, social alienation, pessimism], and Health Status Questionnaire [perceived health status]. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used as a general measure of cognitive functioning. Forty-four percent of the sample had a depressed mood; these individuals performed significantly poorer on the MMSE (p<.05), were more introverted, socially alienated and pessimistic (p's<.001). They also exhibited greater vocational and domestic impairment, poorer quality of family relationships (p's<.001), and a lower level of perceived health status (p<.02). Findings with the A-BDI-II, indicated that domestic impairment, introversion, social alienation, and perceived low health status were significant predictors of depression, accounting for 44% of the variance. Findings highlight the need for the implementation of psychological/psychiatric interventions in LTC in an attempt to ameliorate symptoms of depression, while increasing adherence to treatment.

Learning Objectives:

• Familiarize professionals with psychiatric symptoms of liver transplant candidates.
• Understand the impact of poor mood state on mental status and psychosocial functioning.
• Highlight need to address psychiatric symtpoms in order to improve treatment adherence.

Keywords: Adherence, Psychological Indicators

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.