Psychiatric Comorbidity, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Mental Health Service Utilization Among Patients Awaiting Liver Transplant

Context: The prevalence of psychiatric disorders and mental health service utilization among patients with end-stage liver disease awaiting transplant remains understudied.

Objectives: This study assessed the prevalence of psychological disorders and symptoms with the use of a structured diagnostic interview and self-report measures, and examined patient-reported mental health service utilization and barriers to care.

Methods: Waitlisted liver transplant candidates (N = 120) completed assessments during routine clinic appointments at a single time point.

Results: Participants endorsed moderate-to-severe levels of depression (19.2%), anxiety (26.7%), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (23.3%). Forty-three percent had received some form of mental health treatment in the recent past, and a range of barriers to accessing mental health services were endorsed. In a subset of 39 participants who received a structure diagnostic assessment, there was a high prevalence of current (51.3%) and past (82.1%) psychiatric disorders. Elevated scores on depression, anxiety, and PTSD measures were associated with significant decrements in health-related quality of life, but were not differentially associated with mental health service utilization.

Conclusion: There are a significant number of end-stage liver disease patients who could benefit from intervention who are not currently connected to treatment. Many patients do not see the need for accessing services, perhaps because of a lack of insight or knowledge about the benefits of mental health treatment. Future research should determine optimal treatment and service delivery methods for this vulnerable population.