Depressive Symptoms, Social Support, and Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients After Lung Transplantation

Lung transplant recipients often experience depressive symptoms that can negatively impact their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study examined the relationship between depression and HRQOL, and whether social support mediates this effect.

A convenient sample of 47 lung transplant recipients in Taiwan was surveyed in 2024 using a structured questionnaire. The donors were not from prisoners, or from those individuals who are coerced or paid. The mediation effect was analyzed using the PROCESS model version 4.2.

The findings showed that participants experienced moderate to high levels of social support, mild level of depression, and moderate level of health-related quality of life. Depressive symptoms had a significant direct effect on both the physical component summary (PCS) score (B = -0.6004; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.9485 to -0.2523; p = .0012) and the mental component summary (MCS) score (B = -0.8034; 95% CI: -1.2473 to -0.3594, p = .0007). However, the indirect effect of depressive symptoms on PCS (B = -0.0167; 95% bootstrap CI: -0.1550 to 0.1097) and MCS (B = -0.0803; 95% bootstrap CI: -0.2543 to 0.0215), mediated by social support, was not significant. Depression emerged as a significant factor influencing HRQOL, regardless of social support.

This study highlights the significant impact of depressive symptoms on HRQOL in lung transplant recipients, regardless of social support. These findings emphasize the need for routine psychological screening and early intervention for depressive symptoms.