Table 3.
Most Frequent and Bothersome Stressors at 5 and 10 Years After Heart Transplant
| Most Frequent Stressors at 5 and 10 Years After Heart Transplant | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Years Post HT | 10 Years Post HT | ||||
| Stressor | n | % | Stressor | n | % |
| Trying to control your weight | 115 | 58.1 | Feeling worn out | 48 | 49.0 |
| Feeling worn out | 102 | 51.5 | Trying to control your weight | 40 | 40.8 |
| Having side effects from meds | 100 | 49.5 | Having side effects from meds | 36 | 36.7 |
| Paying for your meds | 89 | 45.0 | Participating in sexual activity | 35 | 35.7 |
| Participating in sexual activity | 82 | 41.4 | Hearing a transplant pt died/sick | 32 | 32.7 |
| Having heart biopsies | 82 | 41.4 | Having cancer | 28 | 28.6 |
|
Most Bothersome Stressors at 5 and 10 Years Post HT | |||||
| 5 Years Post HT | 10 Years Post HT | ||||
| Stressor | Mean* | SD | Stressor | Mean* | SD |
| Being away from your job | 2.24 | 0.56 | Paying your hospital and MD bills | 2.35 | 0.71 |
| Participating in sexual activity | 2.23 | 0.79 | Paying foryour meds | 2.27 | 0.78 |
| Having back/spine | 2.10 | 0.82 | Decreased income due to illness | 2.11 | 0.90 |
| Being unemployed due to illness | 2.10 | 0.87 | Having cancer | 2.11 | 0.79 |
| Tring to find employment | 2.09 | 0.73 | Mental /emotional changes from steroids | 2.08 | 0.79 |
| Paying your hospital and MD bills | 2.01 | 0.85 | Effect of illness on relations spouse/family | 2.08 | 0.76 |
*
Mean score of 4-likert scale with 0=not stressful at all and 3=very stressful