Impact of hospital hospitality house programs on quality of life and mood of patients and caregivers after hematopoietic stem cell transplant

Objective/background: The quality of life (QOL) of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients and their caregivers decreases during the first 8 days after HSCT. Methods: This prospective pilot study collected preliminary data on the impact of posttransplant living arrangements (hospital hospitality house [HHH] vs. hotel, apartment, or house [“hotel”]) and other factors on the QOL of HSCT patients and their caregivers. The predefined primary end point was QOL of patients and their caregivers on Day 30 (QOL30) as measured by the linear analog self-assessment (LASA). Results: Forty-four HSCT patients participated (HHH 23, hotel 21; allogeneic 18, autologous 26). No significant differences in QOL30 (mean LASA score) were noted between patient groups (55.6 [HHH] vs. 72.2 [hotel], p = .06) or between caregiver groups (77.8 [HHH] vs. 88.9 [hotel], p = .20). Multivariate analysis for QOL30 showed that baseline QOL (p = .006) and age (p = .049) were significant predictors of QOL30 after adjustment for sex, post-HSCT living place, and transplant type. Older patients (≥60 years) had a significantly lower QOL30 than younger patients (mean score, 51.6 vs. 75.3; p = .02). Conclusion: Efforts to improve QOL30 of HSCT patients and caregivers in the confined environment of an HHH should focus on patients with low baseline QOL and older patients. Keywords: Age, Marrow transplant, Quality of life, Stem cell transplant