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A Mixed Method Pilot Feasibility Study of a Symptom Management Support Intervention for Heart Transplant Recipients With Chronic Pain and Extensive Symptom Distress

Dalvindt, Marita LU orcid ; Lindahl-Veungen, Hannah LU ; Kisch, Annika LU orcid ; Nozohoor, Shahab LU orcid and Forsberg, Anna LU (2025) In Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences 39(1).
Abstract

Background: The aim of heart transplantation is prolonged survival and improved quality of life. Chronic pain is a common and distressing symptom after heart transplantation. To our knowledge, there are no person-centred interventions aimed at chronic pain and symptom distress after heart transplantation. The aim was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of systematic, person-centred symptom management support for heart recipients with chronic pain to reduce symptom distress. Methods: A mixed method prospective pilot feasibility study. A one-group, pre-test/post-test design examined the effect of a symptom management support intervention by means of three consecutive 1-h person-centred supportive conversations about the heart... (More)

Background: The aim of heart transplantation is prolonged survival and improved quality of life. Chronic pain is a common and distressing symptom after heart transplantation. To our knowledge, there are no person-centred interventions aimed at chronic pain and symptom distress after heart transplantation. The aim was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of systematic, person-centred symptom management support for heart recipients with chronic pain to reduce symptom distress. Methods: A mixed method prospective pilot feasibility study. A one-group, pre-test/post-test design examined the effect of a symptom management support intervention by means of three consecutive 1-h person-centred supportive conversations about the heart recipient's experienced ability to manage her or his symptoms, self-efficacy and transplant-specific well-being. In total, 13 participants completed the intervention, 7 women and 6 men, with a mean age of 54.38 years. The feasibility was evaluated by semi-structured interviews analysed after the intervention in accordance with phenomenological hermeneutics, while four different instruments were used to quantitatively evaluate pain, self-efficacy, person-centeredness and transplant-specific well-being both before and after the intervention. Results: The intervention constituted a profound experience of being taken seriously based on four themes. The heart recipients experienced both sameness and otherness through reduced asymmetry in the caring encounter; thus, their dignity as persons capable of interpreting their own health was restored. Transplant-specific well-being improved clinically after the intervention, while basic activities of daily life improved significantly (p = 0.014). Although there was no change in self-efficacy, the self-rated experience of being taken seriously improved. There was a moderate relationship between transplant-specific well-being and self-efficacy before the intervention, rho 0.52 (p = 0.066) and a strong relationship after the intervention, rho 0.84 (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Three 1-h consecutive person-centred conversations to support symptom management after heart transplantation constitute a relevant, feasible and effective intervention.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
chronic pain, feasibility study, heart transplantation, intervention, mixed method design, person-centred care
in
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
volume
39
issue
1
article number
e70022
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:105000424224
  • pmid:40087829
ISSN
0283-9318
DOI
10.1111/scs.70022
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6d02e57d-adb4-48bb-8fdc-35e7b6a78871
date added to LUP
2025-12-19 12:40:23
date last changed
2025-12-20 03:34:37
@article{6d02e57d-adb4-48bb-8fdc-35e7b6a78871,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: The aim of heart transplantation is prolonged survival and improved quality of life. Chronic pain is a common and distressing symptom after heart transplantation. To our knowledge, there are no person-centred interventions aimed at chronic pain and symptom distress after heart transplantation. The aim was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of systematic, person-centred symptom management support for heart recipients with chronic pain to reduce symptom distress. Methods: A mixed method prospective pilot feasibility study. A one-group, pre-test/post-test design examined the effect of a symptom management support intervention by means of three consecutive 1-h person-centred supportive conversations about the heart recipient's experienced ability to manage her or his symptoms, self-efficacy and transplant-specific well-being. In total, 13 participants completed the intervention, 7 women and 6 men, with a mean age of 54.38 years. The feasibility was evaluated by semi-structured interviews analysed after the intervention in accordance with phenomenological hermeneutics, while four different instruments were used to quantitatively evaluate pain, self-efficacy, person-centeredness and transplant-specific well-being both before and after the intervention. Results: The intervention constituted a profound experience of being taken seriously based on four themes. The heart recipients experienced both sameness and otherness through reduced asymmetry in the caring encounter; thus, their dignity as persons capable of interpreting their own health was restored. Transplant-specific well-being improved clinically after the intervention, while basic activities of daily life improved significantly (p = 0.014). Although there was no change in self-efficacy, the self-rated experience of being taken seriously improved. There was a moderate relationship between transplant-specific well-being and self-efficacy before the intervention, rho 0.52 (p = 0.066) and a strong relationship after the intervention, rho 0.84 (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Three 1-h consecutive person-centred conversations to support symptom management after heart transplantation constitute a relevant, feasible and effective intervention.</p>}},
  author       = {{Dalvindt, Marita and Lindahl-Veungen, Hannah and Kisch, Annika and Nozohoor, Shahab and Forsberg, Anna}},
  issn         = {{0283-9318}},
  keywords     = {{chronic pain; feasibility study; heart transplantation; intervention; mixed method design; person-centred care}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences}},
  title        = {{A Mixed Method Pilot Feasibility Study of a Symptom Management Support Intervention for Heart Transplant Recipients With Chronic Pain and Extensive Symptom Distress}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/scs.70022}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/scs.70022}},
  volume       = {{39}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}