PURPOSE. In the last decade some attention has been given to spirituality and faith and its role in cancer patients’ coping. Few data is available about spirituality among cancer patients in Southern European countries, which have a big tradition in religious spirituality, namely catholic religion. As part of a more general investigation (Southern European Psycho-Oncology Study – SEPOS), the aim of this study was to examine the effect of spirituality in moulding psychosocial implications in Southern European cancer patients. METHODS. A convenience sample of 323 outpatients with a diagnosis of cancer between 6 to 18 months, a good performance status (KPS> 80), no cognitive deficits or CNS involvement by disease were approached in university and affiliated cancer centers in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland (Italian speaking area). Each patient was evaluated for spirituality (VAS 0-10), psychological morbidity (HADS), coping strategies (Mini-MAC) and concerns about illness (CWI). RESULTS. The majority of patients (79.3%) referred being supported by their spirituality/faith throughout their illness. Significant differences were found between the spirituality versus non-spirituality groups (p<.01) in terms of education, coping styles and psychological morbidity. Spirituality was significantly correlated with fighting spirit (r=.27), fatalism (r=.50) and avoidance (r=.23) coping styles and negatively correlated with education (r=-.25), depression (r=-.22) and HAD total (r=-.17). CONCLUSION. Spirituality is frequent among southern European cancer patients with lower education and seems to play some protective role towards psychological morbidity, specifically depression. Further studies should examine this trend in Southern European cancer patients.
Does spirituality and faith make a difference? Report from the Southern European Psycho-Oncology Study (SEPOS)
GRASSI, Luigi;
2010
Abstract
PURPOSE. In the last decade some attention has been given to spirituality and faith and its role in cancer patients’ coping. Few data is available about spirituality among cancer patients in Southern European countries, which have a big tradition in religious spirituality, namely catholic religion. As part of a more general investigation (Southern European Psycho-Oncology Study – SEPOS), the aim of this study was to examine the effect of spirituality in moulding psychosocial implications in Southern European cancer patients. METHODS. A convenience sample of 323 outpatients with a diagnosis of cancer between 6 to 18 months, a good performance status (KPS> 80), no cognitive deficits or CNS involvement by disease were approached in university and affiliated cancer centers in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland (Italian speaking area). Each patient was evaluated for spirituality (VAS 0-10), psychological morbidity (HADS), coping strategies (Mini-MAC) and concerns about illness (CWI). RESULTS. The majority of patients (79.3%) referred being supported by their spirituality/faith throughout their illness. Significant differences were found between the spirituality versus non-spirituality groups (p<.01) in terms of education, coping styles and psychological morbidity. Spirituality was significantly correlated with fighting spirit (r=.27), fatalism (r=.50) and avoidance (r=.23) coping styles and negatively correlated with education (r=-.25), depression (r=-.22) and HAD total (r=-.17). CONCLUSION. Spirituality is frequent among southern European cancer patients with lower education and seems to play some protective role towards psychological morbidity, specifically depression. Further studies should examine this trend in Southern European cancer patients.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
