Objective       To determine the effect of social support and cognitive behavioral interventions on the quality of life in the heart transplantation patients during the waiting period.       Methods       A total of 60 selected patients with various end-stage heart disea

ses and waiting for heart transplantation in our hospital from January 2010 to December 2013 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into 2 group

that is

test group (n=30

25 males and 5 females

a mean age of 43.0±9.8) and control group (n=30

20 males and 10 females

a mean age of 43.0±11.0). The former group received routine care

intervention of social support and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

while the latter received only routine care. The quality of life

anxiety

depression and social support of these 2 groups at admission

in 3

7

10 and 14 d after hospitalization

and in 12 h before surgery were analyzed by medical outcomes study short form 36 (SF-36)

social support rating scale (SSRS)

self-rating anxiety scale (SAS)

and self-rating depression scale (SDS)

and the impact of social support and cognitive behavioral interventions on their quality of life in waiting period was investigated.       Results       No significant difference was found in the health-related quality of life between the 2 groups at admission

in 3 and 7 d after hospitalization (

P

0.05)

but the difference was statistically significant in 10 and 14 d after hospitalization and in 12 h before surgery (

P

0.05)

with the scores of above scales of the test group significantly higher than the control in 3

7

10

14 d after hospitalization and in 12 h before surgery (

P

0.05)

and the scores increasing faster in the former than the latter groups (

P

0.05). The quality of life was better in the test group than the control group

with significant differences in the above time points besides the time of admission (

P

0.05). Anxiety scores showed no significant difference between the 2 groups at admission and on the third day of hospitalization (

P

0.05)

but had obvious difference on the 7th

10th and 14th days and in 12 h before surgery

with the scores of the test group markedly lower than those of the control (

P

0.05). There was no significant difference in the depression score bet

ween the 2 group at admission (

P

0.05)

but the scores of the test group were significantly lower than those of the control on the 3rd

7th

10th

and 14th days after admission and in 12 h before surgery (

P

0.05).       Conclusion       Effective social support and cognitive behavioral interventions significantly attenuate anxiety

depression and other negative emotions

and improve the quality of life in the patients awaiting heart transplantation.