The contribution of spirituality and spiritual coping to anxiety and depression in women with a recent diagnosis of gynecological cancer

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine whether, after accounting for illness and demographic variables, spiritual involvement and beliefs and positive and negative spiritual coping could account for any of the variation in anxiety and depression among women within 1 year's diagnosis of gynecological cancer (GC). One hundred patients from outpatient GC clinics at two Melbourne-based hospitals completed a brief structured interview and self-report measures of anxiety, depression, spirituality, and spiritual coping. Using two sequential regression analyses, we found that younger women with more advanced disease, who used more negative spiritual coping, had a greater tendency towards depression and that the use of negative spiritual coping was associated with greater anxiety scores. Although not statistically significant, patients with lower levels of generalized spirituality also tended to be more depressed. The site of disease and phase of treatment were not predictive of either anxiety or depression. We conclude that spirituality and spiritual coping are important to women with GC and that health professionals in the area should consider these issues.

Psychological distress and its correlates in ovarian cancer: a systematic review

“…Two good studies [16,17] and one average study [27] found no differences between patients with ovarian cancer and those with other types of gynaecologic cancers. However, one good study [25] found that women with ovarian cancer experienced lower levels of depressive symptoms than those with cervical and endometrial cancer.…”

“…From these findings, it was concluded that there is strong evidence for a relationship between increased levels of physical symptoms and increased levels of psychological distress. Phase of treatment (active/follow-up) was not associated with levels of depression/anxiety in the one good study that addressed this issue [16]. In addition, no differences in psychological distress were found between those with newly diagnosed and recurrent cancer in one average study [20], suggesting that both cancer phases are psychologically equally difficult.…”

“…Being diagnosed with advanced stage disease was associated with increased levels of psychological distress in three good studies [3,16,25] and one poor study [5], although two average studies found no relationship between disease stage and levels of distress (Hipkins et al [21]; Stewart et al [28]ovarian cancer survivors). On the basis of these results, there is strong evidence that having advanced stage disease at diagnosis is associated with higher levels of psychological distress.…”

“…One factor constantly associated with increased levels of distress in ovarian cancer patients included younger age, where evidence was found in five good studies [3,4,15,16,26] and one average study [21]. In contrast, one average study [28] found no relationship between age and depressive symptoms in ovarian cancer survivors, and one good study [25] found lower levels of distress in women under 45 years old.…”

“…Increased anxiety was associated with lower levels of knowledge about ovarian cancer, and with higher levels of preoccupation with CA 125. de Moor et al [19], in a longitudinal study, found that CA 125 positively correlated with anxiety and depression at baseline, but no prospective relationships were found. Boscaglia et al [16], in a good study, found that increased levels of negative religious coping (i.e. confusion and dissatisfaction with God, redefining the illness as a punishment) were associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression.…”