Targeting those with decreased meaning and peace: a supportive care opportunity.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate if an individual's level of meaning/peace (M/P) predicts various quality of life (QOL) and mental well-being measures. To identify targets that might enhance the overall spiritual well-being and QOL of ovarian cancer patients.

METHODS:

Multi-site analysis of women with newly diagnosed stages II-IV ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer. Patients completed the following surveys: Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Ovarian (FACT-O), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual (FACIT-Sp), Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Templer's Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), Herth Hope Index (HHI), and Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS). Linear regression models were created to examine the effect of M/P (FACIT-Sp) upon QOL, symptoms, and other measures of mental well-being. These models adjusted for the effect of site, race, age, stage, anaphylaxis to chemotherapy, and partner status as potential confounders.

RESULTS:

This study enrolled 104 patients from three separate sites. After adjusting for potential confounders, it was found that higher M/P predicted better QOL (FACT-O) (p < 0.0001). Higher M/P also predicted decreased death anxiety, depression, and anxiety (p ≤ 0.005). Finally, higher M/P predicted increased hope and coping scores (p ≤ 0.0005).

CONCLUSIONS:

Level of M/P is associated with several important mental and physical health states. This information may allow providers to identify patients at increased risk for mental/physical distress and may facilitate early referral to targeted psychotherapy interventions focused on improving patient QOL and decreasing anxiety and depression.

• Authors: Alaina J Brown, Charlotte C Sun, Diana Urbauer, Donna S Zhukovsky, Charles Levenback, Michael Frumovitz, Premal H Thaker, Diane C Bodurka, Lois M Ramondetta
• Journal: Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (Support Care Cancer) Vol. 23 Issue 7 Pg. 2025-32 (Jul 2015) ISSN: 1433-7339 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 25519758 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adaptation, Psychological
• Adult
• Aged
• Anxiety (etiology, therapy)
• Depression (etiology, therapy)
• Fallopian Tube Neoplasms (psychology, therapy)
• Female
• Genital Neoplasms, Female (psychology, therapy)
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Mind-Body Therapies (methods)
• Ovarian Neoplasms (psychology, therapy)
• Peritoneal Neoplasms (psychology, therapy)
• Psychotherapy
• Quality of Life
• Spirituality