title: Spirituality, quality of life, psychological adjustment in terminal cancer patients in hospice.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to show the different components of spirituality in the last few weeks of life for advanced cancer patients admitted to hospice and to evaluate quality of life (QoL), pain, anxiety, depression and psychological adjustment to cancer. One hundred and fifteen patients were interviewed with a series of rating scales: the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Visual Analogue Scale for pain, the Brief Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale - General Measure. Workers and single patients with higher education level showed a worse QoL. Moreover, anxiety and pain were negatively associated with QoL, while spirituality and 'Instrumental Support' coping style were positively associated with QoL. In the Italian sample, it was observed that when patients are close to death, faith is a more important component of spirituality than meaning/peace. This study confirms that QoL could be related to physical and psychological symptoms, and this reiterates the importance of faith in end-of-life care.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology and Psycho-Oncology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bovero
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology and Psycho-Oncology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leombruni
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology and Psycho-Oncology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Torino, Italy. mminiotti@cittadellasalute.to.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miniotti
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Section, Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rocca
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology and Psycho-Oncology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torta
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D029181:Spirituality; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cancer patients; palliative care; psychological distress; quality of life; spirituality