Ny artikel - Long-term mental wellbeing of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with venous thromboembolism: results from a multistage mixed methods study

Summary

Background: Critical and chronic illness in youth can lead to impaired mental wellbeing. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially traumatic and life-threatening condition. Nonetheless, the long-term mental wellbeing of adolescents and young adults (AYAS) with VTE is unclear.

Objectives: To investigate the long-term mental wellbeing of AYAS (aged 13–33 years) diagnosed with VTE. Methods: We performed a multistage mixed method study based on data from the Danish nationwide health registries, and semistructured interviews with 12 AYAS diagnosed with VTE. An integrated mixed methods interpretation of the findings was conducted through narrative weaving and joint displays.

Results: The integrated mixed methods interpretation showed that the mental wellbeing of AYAS with VTE had a chronic perspective, with a persistently higher risk of psychotropic drug purchase among AYAS with a first-time diagnosis of VTE than among sex-matched and age-matched population controls and AYAS with a firsttime diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Impaired mental wellbeing was largely connected to a fear of recurrence and concomitant uncertainty. Therefore, it was important for the long-term mental wellbeing to navigate uncertainty. The perceived health threat played a more profound role in long-term mental wellbeing than disease severity, as the potential life threat was the pivot perception of future health threat and the potential risk of dying of a recurrent event.

Conclusion: Our findings show that the long-term mental wellbeing of AYAS diagnosed with VTE is negatively affected, and highlights these patients’ need for adequate support.

Artiklen er publiceret i Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 2017;15: 2333–2343. Forfattere bag artiklen er: Anette Højen, Erik Elgaard Sørensen, Pia S. Dreyer, M. Søgaard & Torben Bjerregaard Larsen.