SPOUSE STRESSORS WHILE AWAITING HEART-TRANSPLANTATION

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to identify common stres sors experienced by spouses of heart transplantation (HT) candidates; to identify differences in stressors among spouses of HT candidates ba sed on selected demographic variables; and to report preliminary psych ometric data on the newly developed Spouse Transplant Stressor Scale. DESIGN: Comparative, cross-sectional survey. SAMPLE: Spouses of 85 HT candidates awaiting HT at midwestern and southeastern medical centers and a midwestern Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. MEASURES: Sp ouse Transplant Stresser Scale (Collins), an investigator-developed ra ting form and demographic data sheet. RESULTS: Spouses of HT candidate s reported high levels of stress during the wait for a donor heart. Fa ctors related directly to the transplantation experience were rated as the most stressful. Fear that the patient (partner) would die before a heart became available was the worst stressor for the spouses. Worki ng spouses perceived more stressors related to responsibility, socioec onomics, and self. Stressors associated with the transplantation proce ss itself were equally stressful for spouses who work and spouses who do not work.