Exploring the relationship between spiritual well-being and death anxiety in patients with gynecological cancer: a cross-section study

BMC Palliative Care

Tangwei Lin¹  Jing Chen¹  Xingcan Liu¹  Yue Feng²  Jianhua Ren²  Biru Luo²  Qianqian Mou³ 

[1] Department of Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China;Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, No.20, Section 3, South Renmin Road, Chengdu, China;Department of Gynecology Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, No.20, Section 3, South Renmin Road, Chengdu, West China, China;Department of Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China;Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, No.20, Section 3, South Renmin Road, Chengdu, China;West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China;Good Clinical Practice Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China;

关键词: Spiritual health;    Spiritual well-being;    Spirituality;    EORTC;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12904-021-00778-3

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundIn recent years, spiritual well-being has gradually gained the attention of health care providers in China, especially those in oncology departments, who have recognized the importance of improving spiritual well-being in cancer patients. Since most of the current research on spiritual well-being has been carried out in areas with religious beliefs, this study was conducted in the context of no development of formal religion. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between death anxiety and spiritual well-being and the related factors of spiritual well-being among gynecological cancer patients.MethodsThis cross-section study was conducted among 586 gynecological cancer patients. The European Organization for Research and Treatment for Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-spiritual well-being32 (EORTC QLQ-SWB32) and Templer's Death Anxiety Scale (T-DAS) were used to measure spiritual well-being and death anxiety. The Multiple Linear Regression Model was used to determine the relationship between spiritual well-being and death anxiety.ResultsFor all participants, the highest QLQ-SWB32 centesimal score was 75.13 on the Relationship with Other scale, and the lowest was 60.33 on the Relationship with Someone or Something Greater Scale. The mean Death Anxiety score was 5.31 (SD 3.18). We found that Relationship with Someone or Something Greater was the only scale not associated with death anxiety. Overall, patients with lower death anxiety have a higher level of spiritual well-being. Besides, a high Relationship with Other score was associated with living with a partner (B = 2.471, P < 0.001) and married (B = -6.475, P = 0.001). Patients with higher Global-SWB were retired (B = 0.387, P = 0.019).ConclusionsOur study found that the spiritual well-being of patients with gynecological cancer in China was no worse than in other countries with religious beliefs and patients with lower death anxiety have a higher level of spiritual well-being. Clinical staff should pay attention to the spiritual health of cancer patients, and spiritual care should be regarded as an essential element in cancer care.

【 授权许可】

CC BY