Article

Psychological aspects of liver disease and its treatment

Details

Citation

O'Carroll R (2013) Psychological aspects of liver disease and its treatment. Health Psychology Review, 7 (1), pp. 111-128. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2010.550205

Abstract
The aim of this brief, selective review is to persuade the reader that liver disease and its treatment is not an esoteric, peripheral subject, but rather, is a major and growing public health problem, requiring urgent attention from behavioural science. The review covers liver transplantation (LT), living donor (LDLT), the effects of liver disease on cognitive functioning and adherence to treatment in transplant recipients. It is concluded that Health Psychology has a huge potential role to play in (1) prevention, (2) understanding aetiology, (3) evaluation of treatment outcomes, (4) improving adherence to immunosuppressant medication and (5) evaluating psychological interventions for symptom management. Furthermore, many of the methods and approaches reviewed here have potential far beyond liver disease and have wide applicability to other branches of health, medicine and surgery.

Keywords
hepatic; encephalopathy; cognition; organ; transplant; donor; organ donor; Liver Diseases;Transplant Surgery

Journal
Health Psychology Review: Volume 7, Issue 1