Quality of life for transplantation patients: National Institute of Nursing Research Spring Science Work Group*

Quality of life for transplantation patients offers many opportunities for basic science and clinical researchers, ranging from biological and behavioral investigations to clinical interventions and population studies. Specific topics of interest for the field of transplantation research that have immediate application to studies of quality of life include signs and symptoms of chronic illness, biobehavioral risk factors for disease, functional disabilities, patient outcomes, adherence to treatment, care delivery, roles of families and caregivers, strategies of stress management, special needs of children and high-risk patients, health promotion and education, and long-term care. These topics offer investigators a unique opportunity to develop and apply integrated prevention and treatment strategies and to contribute valuable insights and skills to multidisciplinary research teams needed for quality-of-life studies of transplantation patients.