Religious belief as a coping strategy: an explorative trial in patients irradiated for head-and-neck cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of religious belief in coping with disease symptoms and treatment-related side effects in patients with head-and-neck cancer under radiotherapy.


METHODS
Prospectively collected data were used with a cohort of head-and-neck cancer patients treated by radiotherapy and epoetin beta or placebo within a double-blind multicenter trial. All patients were divided into believers and nonbelievers. Answers to a quality of life questionnaire at four points in time during radiotherapy were analyzed according to both groups. Clinical parameters and therapy side effects were controlled regularly.


RESULTS
62.1% of the patients (66/105) sent back a baseline questionnaire discriminating between believers and nonbelievers. For 34.2% (40/105) data of all four measures could be obtained. On average, believers felt better in all categories of side effects at all points of time before, during and directly after therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Religious faith seems to play an important role in coping strategies of radiotherapy patients. More research in this area would be worthwhile.
Becker
Gerhild
G
Department of Internal Medicine II, University Clinic, Freiburg, Germany.
Momm
Felix
F
Xander
Carola
C
Bartelt
Susanne
S
Zander-Heinz
Anja
A
Budischewski
Kai
K
Domin
Claudia
C
Henke
Michael
M
Adamietz
Irenäus A
IA
Frommhold
Hermann
H