title: Between spiritual wellbeing and spiritual distress: possible related factors in elderly patients with cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  this article describes the assessment of the spiritual wellbeing of elderly patients with cancer submitted to chemotherapy and possible predictive factors of the spiritual distress diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  this is a methodological study for clinical validation of a nursing diagnosis, using interviews to assist in completing the form.
  
  
  RESULTS
  45 elderly patients participated in this study, Catholics, mostly female, diagnosed with breast cancer, average age of 70.3 years. The prevalence of spiritual distress was of 42%; 24.4% of the elderly patients were under anti-depressant medication. A significant association was noted between spiritual distress, anti-depressant medication and level of education; an increase (not significant) was acknowledged at the start of the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  these results emphasize the relevance of clarifying this diagnosis and the responsibility of nurses to provide spiritual care to patients. Interventions should be planned appropriately every time a nursing diagnosis is identified as a complex answer and for which pharmacological treatment is not sufficient.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Lisboa, Portugal, PhD, Assistant Professor, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sílvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caldeira
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão PretoSP, Brazil, PhD, Full Professor, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Research Development, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Emilia Campos de
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Porto, Portugal, PhD, Associate Professor, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vieira
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D029181:Spirituality; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires