Impact of personality and coping mechanisms on health-related quality of life in liver transplantation recipients

With the great development of liver transplantation in China, long survival and quality of life after liver transplantation have been matters of growing interest. This study was designed to investigate the impact of personality and coping skills on the quality of life after liver transplantation. METHODS:Fifty-five outpatients who had been followed up after liver transplantation at our center were assessed by general quality of life inventory (GQOLI-74 ), a medical coping modes questionnaire (MCMQ), an eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ), and a general condition questionnaire (GCQ). RESULTS: The score for material well-being was the lowest (63.22±12.67) and for psychological well-being the highest (73.43±12.60) in 4 dimensions of the GQOLI in post transplantation patients. Their main coping method was confrontation (21.40±3.70). The main characteristics of their personality were extraversation (E score 12.96±4.13) and neuroticism (N score 8.20±4.90) . The total score of the GQOLI was positively correlated with confrontation and E score, and it was negatively correlated with acceptance and N score. The physical well-being positively associated with the E score. The psychological well-being was positively correlated with confrontation and L score, and was negatively correlated with acceptance, P and N score. Social well-being was positively correlated with confrontation and E score, and was negatively correlated with acceptance and N score. Material well-being was not correlated with coping methods and personality. CONCLUSION:The quality of life in post liver transplantation patients is associated with their psychological characteristics.

Association of Sexual Intercourse with Psychological Suppression and Copying Modes for Vocational School Students

Objective To evaluate the association of sex behavior with sexual related psychological suppression and coping modes among students in three vocational schools in Shanghai. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1 368 grade one students from three vocational schools in a district of Shanghai, with Computer Assisted Self- Interview （CASI）. The field work began in the April 2003 for a baseline survey, and completed in the December, 2003. Data on students＇ sexual intercourse, sexual related psychological suppression and psychological coping modes, and communication with parents were collected and analyzed. Binary logistic regression was used to adjust the potential confounding factors. Results After controlling for demographic factors, adolescents with middle or high scores of active psychological coping strategies on sexual related events were less likely to have sexual intercourse （ORadj=0.48, 95%CI=0.30-0. 77 and ORadj=0.49, 95%CI=0.30-0.83, respectively）, while association between psychological suppression on sex related events and sexual intercourse was not statistically significant （ORadj= 0.93, 95%CI=0.63-1.37）; sexual related psychological suppression and active coping modes were positively associated with adolescents＇ communicating with parents for 2-7 h/week about school things, but negatively associated with parents＇ open attitudes towards heterosexual contacts and talking sex related things with others. Conclusion Vocational school students with active psychological coping strategies on sexual related events were less likely to engage in sexual intercourse, so interventions focus on reducing unprotected sexual behaviors should target on psychological coping modes skills training.