Investigation of Sleep Quality and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Liver transplant recipients experience many uncertainties after transplantation. Also, sleep problems are common among them. This study aimed to examine intolerance of uncertainty and sleep quality in liver transplant recipients. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 117 liver transplant recipients followed in the outpatient clinic of a liver transplant center. Data were collected using a sociodemographic and clinical features form, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12 and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index between May and September in 2023. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The recipients had a high mean score of 41.04 ± 13.11 (min-max: 12-60) on the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12. Age was predictive of uncertainty. Indeed, young recipients had higher intolerance of uncertainty. The recipients had a low score of 7.33 ± 3.57 (min-max: 1-21) on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The prevalence of sleep problems was 65%. Experiencing complications after transplantation was predictive of and worsened sleep quality. The sleep quality of the recipients had no relation with intolerance of uncertainty and inhibitory anxiety, but it had a relation with prospective anxiety.

Keywords: liver transplantation; sleep quality; transplant recipients; uncertainty.

FIGURE 1

Differences in the mean scores on the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in terms of sosyo‐demographic and clinic characteristics *p < 0.05. MW = Mann Whitney U test, r _p  = Pearson correlation analysis.