PSYCHOSOCIAL MORBIDITY AND SURVIVAL IN ADULT BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS - A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

Previous reports have suggested that the presence of depression and ot her psychosocial variables may be associated with a poorer prognosis p ost bone marrow transplantation. Fifty-six patients had both unstructu red clinical interviews and interviews using a structured diagnostic i nstrument (the Composite International Diagnostic Interview) and were followed up a mean of 82.1 months post-BMT. Of these, 42 patients were also interviewed using the Mental Attitude to Cancer Scale. Survival analysis revealed that factors such as depression or the presence of f ighting spirit as the predominant coping style did not correlate with length of survival. Our results imply that survival may be more closel y related to physical rather than psychosocial factors.