title: Spiritual well-being in lung cancer survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Spiritual well-being (SWB) among lung cancer survivors has not been well-delineated. Additionally, little is known about how SWB is affected over the trajectory of the disease process. The aims of this study were to examine the SWB of individuals with a diagnosis of lung cancer, to assess the stability of SWB over time, and to identify the factors associated with SWB.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort of patients with lung cancer first seen at the Mayo Clinic over a 10-year period of time was included in this study. Study entry was at the time of diagnosis or referral to the Mayo Clinic, and participation involved annual survey using the Functional Assessment in Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being, Medical Outcome Short Form 8, and Quality of Life (QOL) Linear Analog Scale Assessment. Associations were explored using Fisher's exact test, chi-squared test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman correlations. Linear regression was used to explore multivariate relationships.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 1,578 participants over a 10-year period of time. Group SWB scores were relatively high and stable over a 10-year period of time ([Formula: see text], standard deviation = 14.47-18.46, possible scale of 0-100). However, individual scores varied widely across almost the entire scale (2.1-100) and revealed a chaotic trajectory for SWB. Males, current smokers, and those with higher pack-years experienced lower SWB compared to females, nonsmokers, and those with lower pack-years (p < 0.0001, 0.0455, and 0.0004, respectively). SWB was strongly associated with overall QOL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SWB is an individualistic experience that can change dramatically over time for cancer survivors. Ongoing assessments are important.
authors: Mayo Clinic Rochester, 200 First Street SW, Charlton, 6, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. frost.marlene@mayo.edu
authors: Marlene H
authors: MH
authors: Frost
authors: Paul J
authors: PJ
authors: Novotny
authors: Mary E
authors: ME
authors: Johnson
authors: Matthew M
authors: MM
authors: Clark
authors: Jeff A
authors: JA
authors: Sloan
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D029181:Spirituality; D017741:Survivors