| Summary: | 碩士 === 輔仁大學 === 社會工作學系 === 97 === The purpose of this study is to look at patients after heart transplant surgery. More specifically we wanted to look at patients psychological well being and how patients responded to the social support networks. Also of interest were patients’ response to treatment and their physical well being. After several in-depth interviews, we looked at how well patients adjusted to life after surgery. We also looked at how we could improve social services for these patients in hopes of improving their quality of life.
This study looked at 9 heart transplant patients. These nine patients all received their medical care and surgery in the northern part of the island. One of these patients received a double transplant while the other eight had a single transplant. The mean age of the patients were 52.6 years. The youngest was 22 years old while the oldest patient was 65. When they received the surgery, their mean age was 44.7 years of age. Two of the patients were women and the rest were men.
The study found that patients required constant medications, follow up exams, a close watch over diet and following their doctors’ advice. The study also found that the patients’ social circles grew smaller and that family relationships were not affected by the surgery. During times of difficulty, patients sought support from other patients, family members and close friends. This study concludes, that following doctors’ advice can greatly improve the quality of life for heart transplant recipients. A caring family, an optimistic attitude, and the patients’ responsiveness can help them transition better into life after surgery.
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