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A Self-Help Manual for Psychological Distress and Quality of Life During a Haemopoietic Stem-Cell Transplant: An Effectiveness and Acceptability Pilot

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Abstract

Haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) can be a highly distressing procedure that negatively impacts quality of life (QoL). Self-help interventions can help improve psychopathology and wellbeing in patients with physical illness, but have rarely been trialled with HSCT recipients. This study aimed to pilot the utility of a self-help manual intervention during the acute phase of HSCT. Forty autologous and allogeneic HSCT candidates were randomly assigned to a self-help manual intervention or treatment as usual (TAU). Psychological distress (BSI-18) and QoL (FACT-BMT-Vs4) were measured pre-, 2–3 weeks and 3 months post-HSCT. Linear mixed-effects analyses showed no significant group-time interaction for global QoL (p = .199) or global distress (p = .624). However, highlighting a protective role during admission, manual participants showed minimal QoL or somatic distress change at 2–3 weeks post-transplant compared with moderate-large effects for reduced QoL (d = 0.62) and increased somatic distress (d = − 0.81) for TAU patients. Thematic analysis suggests the manual helped prepare patients for transplant and provided strategies to improve distress and QoL. This pilot provides preliminary evidence for the benefit of a self-help manual during hospitalisation for a HSCT. More intensive, recovery-focussed care, however, may be needed to improve psychological health in the post-hospital period. Retrospectively registered trial (ANZCTR No. 12620001165976, 6th November 2020).

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Data Availability

The data that supports the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The study authors would like to thank the patients who participated in this project and acknowledge the support provided by the transplant coordinators and Alfred Health in the conduct of this study. SL was in receipt of an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship (GNT1111428). RL was in receipt of an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.

Funding

Funding for the conduct of this project was also provided by Alfred Research Trusts (T11417).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia

    Richard J. Lawrence

  2. Alfred Mental and Addiction Health, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Stuart J. Lee & Lynda J. Katona

  3. Department of Psychological Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia

    Lynda J. Katona

  4. Patient and Family Services, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Sue De Bono

  5. Cairnmillar Institute, Hawthorn East, VIC, Australia

    Peter J. Norton

  6. Liz Plummer Cancer Care Centre, Cairns and Hinterland Health Service, Cairns, QLD, Australia

    Sharon Avery

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  1. Richard J. Lawrence
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analyses were performed by RL, SL, LK, SdB, PN and SA. The first draft of the manuscript was written by RL and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard J. Lawrence.

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Conflict of interest

Richard J. Lawrence, Stuart J. Lee, Lynda J. Katona, Sue De Bono, Peter J. Norton and Sharon Avery have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethics Approval

All procedures performed were in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975, as revised in 2000 and 2008. The conduct of the project was approved by The Alfred Hospital (No. 465/15) and Monash University (No. 10558) human research ethics committees.

Human and Animal Rights

All procedures for this trial were performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975, as revised in 2000 and 2008.

Informed Consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants prior to participation in the study.

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Lawrence, R.J., Lee, S.J., Katona, L.J. et al. A Self-Help Manual for Psychological Distress and Quality of Life During a Haemopoietic Stem-Cell Transplant: An Effectiveness and Acceptability Pilot. J Clin Psychol Med Settings 30, 846–855 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-022-09923-3

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