QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES >= 5 YRS POST HEART TRANSPLANT

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The purpose of this 5 years prospective, longitudinal study is to identify variables that are associated with and predict six outcomes of adult patients at 5 years to 10 years after heart transplantation (HT). The six outcomes are survival, functional ability, emotional status, work ability, satisfaction with HT, and perceived quality of life. Specific study aims are (1) to determine how variance in demographic, physical, and psychosocial factors over time is concurrently related to variance in the six outcomes over time (2) to identify demographic, physical, and psychosocial predictors of the six outcomes (3) to examine how physical and psychosocial factors that are related to the six outcomes change longitudinally (4) to examine the impact of age, gender, racial / ethnic background, and complications after HT on outcomes over time and (5) to examine the effect of using various statistical methods for handling missing data in order to improve the accuracy of prediction of outcomes. A prospective, longitudinal design will be used. Data will be collected every 6 months beginning at 5 years through 10 years after HT. Inclusion criteria are (1) >= 5 years post HT (2) age >= 21 years (3) able to read and write English, and (4) physically able to participate. Patients will complete a booklet of instruments, and chart data will be gathered. Variables to be measured include demographic variables (ex. age, gender, race, and marital status), physical variables (ex. medical history, medications, exercise testing, and complications), and psychosocial variables (ex. perceived health status, stress, coping, and social support), and the six outcome variables (within a stress, appraisal, and coping model). Statistical analyses will include longitudinal, multi-variable regression methods for repeated measures and parametric modeling of outcomes. Health-Related Implications. These data will provide information regarding (1) long-term benefits versus risks of HT, (2) patients at risk for poor outcomes, (3) and targets for interventions to improve outcomes.