Association between spiritual well-being, quality of life, anxiety and depression in patients with gynaecological cancer in China

Abstract

The physical and psychological condition of patients with gynaecological cancer has received much attention, but there is little research on spirituality in palliative care. This study aimed to investigate spiritual well-being and its association with quality of life, anxiety and depression in patients with gynaecological cancer. A cross-sectional study was conducted in China in 2019 with 705 patients diagnosed with primary gynaecological cancer. European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life instruments (EORTC QLQ-SWB32 and EORTC QLQ-C30) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used to measure spiritual well-being, quality of life, anxiety and depression. Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine associations between spiritual well-being, quality of life, anxiety and depression. Functioning scales and global health status were positively correlated with spiritual well-being (P < .05). Anxiety and depression were negatively correlated with spiritual well-being (P < .05). Depression (−0.362, P < .001) was the strongest predictor of Existential score. Anxiety (−0.522, P < .001) was the only predictor of Relationship with self. Depression (−0.350, P < .001) and Global health (0.099, P = .011) were the strongest predictors of Relationship with others. Religion (−0.204, P < .001) and Depression (−0.196, P < .001) were the strongest predictors of Relationship with someone or something greater. Global health (0.337, P < .001) and Depression (−0.144, P < .001) were the strongest predictors of Global-SWB. Well spiritual well-being is associated with lower anxiety and depression, and better quality of life. Health providers should provide more spiritual care for non-religious patients and combine spiritual care with psychological counselling to help patients with gynaecological cancer, especially those who have low quality of life or severe symptoms, or experience anxiety or depression.

Associations between the spiritual well-being (EORTC QLQ-SWB32) and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30) of patients receiving palliative care for cancer in Cyprus

“…Given the absence of reports from the other two studies on the scale, “Relationship with God”, mean scores on the “Relationship with Someone or Something Greater” scale from the other two studies are used to compare results from all three studies. The reported values in Rhode (2019) and Chen (2021) (between 50 and 60) [ 27 , 28 ] are considered in the middle range and are lower compared to those reported by our patients (64.6).…”

“…Two other studies employed the newly developed EORTC-SWB32 tool and reported on levels of spiritual well-being in patients with advanced cancer and its associations with QOL [ 27 , 28 ]. The perceived Global SWB score was high in all three samples (Table 7 ).…”

“…The perceived Global SWB score was high in all three samples (Table 7 ). Additionally, the 104 patients from Cyprus scored higher in the “Existential” scale as well as in the “Relationship with Others” and “Relationship with Something Greater” scale compared to that reported by Rhode (2019), from 451 patients (14 countries), and those reported by Chen (2021), from 705 Chinese patients with gynaecological cancer [ 27 , 28 ]. However, Cypriot patients scored lower compared to patients from the other countries in the “Relationship with Self” scale as well as in the Global SWB score.…”

“…As noted by Chen (2021), even their study from one centre in China might not be representative of different regions of the same country. In the same way there are probably differences among the 14 countries in the study by Rhode (2019) [ 27 , 28 ].…”

The Relationship between Coronavirus Anxiety, Mindfulness and Spiritual Health in Patients with Cancer: A Survey in Southeast Iran

“…Spiritual beliefs are often considered as a source for dealing with illness and making decisions on treatment of the patients with chronic illness. Chen et al [ 61 ] showed that spiritual well-being was associated with reduced anxiety and depression. Health care providers need to pay more attention to spiritual care and help cancer patients with spiritual psychological counseling.…”