Gastrointestinal cancer patients may have low spiritual well-being

1. In this cross-sectional study, the mean score for spiritual well-being among patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer was relatively low.

2. In addition, several factors such as positivity, expectancy, and search for meaning were associated with spiritual well-being in GI cancer patients.

Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good)

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are known to carry a poor prognosis, and treatment options often lead to several adverse side effects. Spiritual well-being may play an important role in patient outcomes, however the majority of studies have focused mainly on mixed cancer types. As a result, the objective of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate the spiritual well-being of GI cancer patients.

The present study included 237 (mean age=54 years) GI cancer patients through convenience sampling from May to October 2022 from a single center in China. Participants who were informed of their illness and were able to read and understand the questions posed to them were included. Participants were excluded if they had cognitive impairments or if they were receiving other psychological interventions. Participants completed multiple questionnaires to assess their spiritual well-being, including the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being, Herth Hope Index, and Meaning in Life Questionnaire The study followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed using multiple linear regression analysis. The primary outcome was spiritual well-being.

The results demonstrated that the mean score for spiritual well-being was 31.5 among study participants. This score of spiritual well-being was described as low compared to the reference value from the American Cancer Society’s studies of cancer survivors. Several factors, such as the presence of meaning, inner positive readiness and expectancy, residence, and search for meaning, were associated with the highest variance in spiritual well-being among GI cancer patients. Despite these results, the study was limited by the study population being predominantly liver cancer patients, which may limit the study’s generalizability to patients with other GI cancers. Nonetheless, the present study added an important understanding of the spiritual well-being of patients with GI cancer.

Click to read the study in Supportive Care in Cancer

Image: PD

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