title: The influence of cancer impact on patients' preparatory grief.
abstract: The aims of this study were to investigate the preparatory grief and traumatic distress in advanced cancer patients in a palliative care unit. A total of 94 advanced cancer patients completed the Preparatory Grief in Advanced Cancer Patients (PGAC) scale and the Greek version of the Impact of Events Scale- Revised (IES-R-Gr). The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group was used to measure patients' performance status. Statistically significant associations were found between PGAC, patients' performance status, and all the IES-R-Gr scales (avoidance, intrusion, hyperarousal) and IES-R-Gr total score. The multiple regression analysis revealed that preparatory grief was predicted by patients' young age, poor performance status, as well as by their high levels of intrusion and hyperarousal, in a model explaining 51.5% of the total variance. Concluding, in advanced cancer patients, preparatory grief is significantly correlated with the impact of cancer and patients' physical condition, and seems to be influenced by components of the event impact, patients' age, and physical performance.
authors.affiliation: Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, 115 26 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsilika
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mystakidou
authors.forename: Efi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parpa
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galanos
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sakkas
authors.forename: Lambros
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vlahos
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires