A pilot study to examine the relationship between boredom and spirituality in cancer patients

2003 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALICE INMAN ◽  
KENNETH L. KIRSH ◽  
STEVEN D. PASSIK

Objective: Spirituality has been neglected when assessing the well-being of cancer patients. Traditionally, researchers have focused on areas such as physical, social, and emotional functioning. However, there is a potential for spirituality to have a large impact on quality of life in patients with cancer. The current study was conducted to investigate the relationship between spirituality and boredom, constraint, social contact, and depression.Methods: A total of 100 oncology patients completed several assessment instruments, including the Purposelessness, Under-stimulation, and Boredom (PUB) Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale–Anemia, Brief Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (BZSDS), Cancer Behavior Inventory, Systems of Belief Inventory, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status Scale.Results: The average age of the sample was 62.37 years (SD = 13.43) and was comprised of 60 women (60%) and 40 men (40%). A regression analysis conducted to explore the impact of the variables on quality of life found only the BZSDS (R2Δ = .650, F = 180.392, p < .001) and the PUB Scale (R2Δ = .077, F = 26.885, p < .001) were significant predictors of quality of life. Another set of regression analyses were conducted to explore whether spirituality had a mediating effect on this relationship, but the mediated model was not supported.Significance of results: We conclude that spirituality and boredom are difficult concepts to define, operationalize, and measure, but crucial to our understanding of quality of life in advanced cancer. More research is needed to clarify the nature of the interrelationships between these important concepts.

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (04) ◽  
pp. 388-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyeong Min Cha ◽  
So Young Kang ◽  
So Yeon Hyun ◽  
Jae Sung Noh ◽  
Yun Mi Shin ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate associations among spirituality, coping strategies, quality of life (QOL), and the effects of depression and anxiety thereon in cancer patients.MethodIn total, 237 cancer patients referred to a psycho-oncology clinic at a university hospital in Korea were enrolled. After identifying predictors of patient QOL in a stepwise regression model, we developed a hypothetical path model wherein interpersonal coping was considered as a mediating variable between spirituality (meaning/peace) and QOL and wherein depression and anxiety affected each of these three variables.ResultThe direct effect of spirituality (meaning/peace) on QOL was 36.7%. In an indirect model, interpersonal coping significantly mediated the relationship between spirituality (meaning/peace) and QOL. Depression exerted the largest negative effect on spirituality (meaning/peace), interpersonal coping, and QOL. Anxiety had negative effects on spirituality (meaning/peace) and QOL, but a positive effect on interpersonal coping.Significance of resultsInterpersonal coping strategies work as a partial mediator of the relationship between meaning/peace subscales of spirituality and QOL. Effective management of depression may help in achieving better outcomes associated therewith. Greater attention and efforts to improve social connectedness and meaning of life in spiritual well-being may improve the QOL of cancer patients.


Author(s):  
Germina-Alina Cosma ◽  
Alina Chiracu ◽  
Amalia Raluca Stepan ◽  
Marian Alexandru Cosma ◽  
Marian Costin Nanu ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to analyze athletes’ quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 249 athletes between 15 and 35 of age, M = 21.22, SD = 5.12. The sample was composed of eight Olympic Games medalists, three European medalists, 67 international medalists, and 63 national medalists. The instruments used were: (1) COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, (2) Athlete Quality of Life Scale, (3) Impact of Pandemic on Athletes Questionnaire, and (4) International Personality Item Pool (IPIP Anxiety, Depression, and Vulnerability Scales). The results indicate significant differences in COVID-19 anxiety depending on the sport practiced, F (9239) = 3.81, p < 0.01, showing that there were significant differences between sports. The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic mediates the relationship between trait anxiety and the athletes’ quality of life. The percentage of mediation was 33.9%, and the indirect effect was −0.11, CI 95% (−0.18, −0.03), Z = −2.82, p < 0.01. Trait anxiety has an increasing effect on the intensity of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 0.23, CI 95% (.10, 0.35), Z = 3.56, p < 0.01, and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has a decreasing effect on quality of life, −0.47, CI 95% (−0.67, −0.27), Z = −4.62, p < 0.01. Gender and age did not moderate the relationship between the negative impact of COVID-19 and athletes’ quality of life. The results of the study highlighted the impact that social isolation and quarantine have on athletes’ affective well-being.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 220-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Karol ◽  
Dianne Smith

Aim:The objective of this article is to identify and analyze what is known about characteristics in and around the home that support well-being for those with cognitive impairment. This could provide direction for designers of homes in general, but specifically for designers trying to meet the needs of people with cognitive impairment.Background:It has been established that there is a relationship between psychological well-being and a person’s environment. Research also shows that particular design aspects can reduce the impact of cognitive impairment. However, there is limited design expertise in the Australian housing market to create supportive spaces which will help to reduce the impact of the disability for those with cognitive impairment.Method:A literature review was carried out to determine the extent and details of what is known about the relationship of home design and its impact on emotional, psychological, or social well-being for people with cognitive impairment.Conclusions:The study indicates that researchers in various disciplines understand that pragmatic design inputs such as thermal comfort and adequate lighting are important for people with cognitive impairment. In addition, some researchers have shown or surmise that there are other “intangible” designer-controlled elements that have beneficial impacts on people with cognitive impairment. Details of these intangible elements are sparse, and how much they might improve the quality of life for a person with cognitive impairment is not well understood. Further research is required to meet a growing need.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-147
Author(s):  
Hanneke Poort ◽  
Jamie M. Jacobs ◽  
William F. Pirl ◽  
Jennifer S. Temel ◽  
Joseph A. Greer

AbstractObjectivesOral treatment (targeted or chemotherapy) for cancer is being increasingly used. While fatigue is a known side effect of intravenous chemotherapy, the rate of fatigue and the impact of fatigue on other patient-reported outcomes are not well described.MethodAt Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, 180 adult patients prescribed oral targeted or chemotherapy for various malignancies enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of adherence and symptom management. Patients completed baseline self-reported measures of fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory; BFI), anxiety and depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS), and quality of life, including subscales for physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being ([QOL] Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy — General; FACT-G). We examined clinically relevant fatigue using a validated cut-off score for moderate-severe fatigue (BFI global fatigue ≥4) and tested the associations with anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and QOL with independent samples t-tests.ResultsAt baseline, 45 of 180 participants (25.0%) reported moderate-severe fatigue. Fatigued patients experienced more anxiety symptoms (mean diff. 3.73, P < 0.001), more depressive symptoms (mean diff. 4.14, P < 0.001), and worse QOL on the total FACT-G score (mean diff. −19.58, P < 0.001) and all subscales of the FACT-G compared to patients without moderate-severe fatigue.Significance of resultsOne in four patients on oral treatment for cancer experienced clinically relevant fatigue that is associated with greater anxiety and depressive symptoms and worse QOL.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 1671-1679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoping Lin ◽  
Christina Bryant ◽  
Jennifer Boldero ◽  
Briony Dow

ABSTRACTBackground:Few current studies explore psychological well-being among older Chinese immigrants in Australia. The study addressed this gap and provided preliminary data on psychological well-being among this group. Four indicators, namely depression, anxiety, loneliness, and quality of life, were used to present a comprehensive picture of psychological well-being.Methods:Participants were two groups of community-dwelling older people, specifically 59 Chinese immigrants and 60 Australian-born people (median age=77 and 73, respectively). Data were collected through standardized interviews. The Geriatric Depression Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale and the WHO Quality of Life questionnaire were used to measure depression, anxiety, loneliness, and quality of life, respectively.Results:Chinese participants’ median quality of life score was higher than the scale mid-point, indicating relatively high levels of quality of life. However, 10% exhibited symptoms of depression, 6% had symptoms of anxiety, and 49% felt lonely. Compared to Australian participants, Chinese participants reported poorer quality of life and higher levels of loneliness. Importantly, the difference in quality of life remained when the impact of socio-demographic factors was controlled for.Conclusions:This study was the first to use multiple indicators to explore psychological well-being among older Chinese immigrants in Australia. Its results suggest that their psychological well-being might be worse than that of Australian-born people when using loneliness and quality of life as indicators. In particular, loneliness is a common psychological problem among this group, and there is a need for public awareness of this problem.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 1701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Forouhari Sedighe ◽  
Atefeh Zare ◽  
NamavarJahromi Bahia ◽  
Fereshteh Eidy ◽  
Neda Adib

2021 ◽  
pp. 35-37
Author(s):  
Selvakumar Jagannathan ◽  
Kannan Ramiah ◽  
Valarmathy Selvakumar

Background:For populations with chronic disease, measurement of QOLprovides a meaningful way to determine the impact of health care when cure is not possible. Revicki and colleagues (2000) dene QOL as "a broad range of human experiences related to one's overall well-being. It implies value based on subjective functioning in comparison with personal expectations and is dened by subjective experiences, states and perceptions. The World Health Organization (2010) denes mental health as a state of positive mental condition in which one realizes his/her capabilities, manages the life stresses, put effort effectively and efciently, and is competent enough to put some contribution to his/her society. According to mental health model (Veit & Ware, 1983), there are two components of mental health, rst is psychological well-being and the other is psychological distress. Therefore, studying the relationship between quality of life and mental health of People with type II diabetes will reveal that to what extend a good quality of life have a relationship in maintaining better mental health in order to cope up with diabetes complications. Objective:The present study was undertaken to know the relationship between quality of life and mental health of people with Type II diabetes. Sample: 30 Type II diabetes were selected from the Diabetes Management Clinic in Rural areas for the assessment of quality of life and mental health. Methodology:The quality of life was assessed using “The Quality of Life Scale (QOLS)” by John Flanagan (1970) and Mental health was assessed using “Mental health inventory (MHI)-18 items by Veit and ware (1983). Finding and Conclusion: The study revealed that there is a signicant relationship between quality of life and mental health of people with Type II diabetes


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-213
Author(s):  
Thalia Bellali ◽  
Georgios Manomenidis ◽  
Eirini Meramveliotaki ◽  
Evgenia Minasidou ◽  
Petros Galanis

Author(s):  
Cecile J. Proctor ◽  
◽  
Danie A. Beaulieu ◽  
Anthony J. Reiman ◽  
Lisa A. Best ◽  
...  

"It is now recognized that the ""cancer experience"" extends beyond diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care. Relative to individuals who have not faced a cancer diagnosis, cancer survivors report increased mental health concerns and lowered physical and psychological well-being (Langeveld et al., 2004). Health-related quality of life encompasses overall physical (e.g., energy, fatigue, pain, etc.) and psychological functioning (e.g., emotional well-being, etc.), as well as general health perceptions (Hays & Morales, 2001). Nayak and colleagues (2017) reported that 82.3% of cancer patients had below-average quality of life scores, with the lowest scores found in the general, physical, and psychological well-being domains. Research suggests that various positive lifestyle variables, including social connectedness, leisure activity, and mindfulness practices are associated with increased quality of life in cancer patients (Courtens et al., 1996; Fangel et al., 2013; Garland et al., 2017). In this study, 350 cancer survivors completed an online questionnaire package that included a detailed demographic questionnaire with medical and online support and leisure activity questions. Additional measures were included to assess quality of life (QLQ-C30; Aaronson et al., 1993), social connectedness (Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults, SELSA-S; DiTommaso et al., 2004), and mindfulness (Adolescent and Adult Mindfulness Scale, AAMS; Droutman et al., 2018). Results show that increased QOL is predicted by increased medical support, lower family loneliness, self-acceptance, and engaging in a variety of leisure activities. Encouraging family support, including the patient in the decision-making process, encouraging a variety of physically possible leisure activities, and normalizing negative emotions surrounding diagnosis and disease symptoms are all ways that overall QoL can be improved."


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (6_suppl) ◽  
pp. 456-456
Author(s):  
Kathryn Gessner ◽  
Sean McCabe ◽  
Pauline Filippou ◽  
Hannah McCloskey ◽  
Judy Hamad ◽  
...  

456 Background: Bladder cancer patients’ care is often managed by caregivers, yet caregiving can create a physiologic and emotional burden that compromises the caregivers’ own quality of life (QOL). Our objective was to determine the impact of disease stage on caregiver QOL among a large national cohort of bladder cancer patients. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey of bladder cancer caregivers using the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Patient Survey Network and Inspire platforms to determine caregiver QOL using the CareGiver QOL questionnaire (CarGOQoL). Caregivers were also queried regarding demographic, socioeconomic and clinical characteristics of their loved one. We present descriptive statistics and a multiple linear regression model to identify factors independently associated with QOL domain score. Results: 132 respondents self-identified as caregivers of patients with bladder cancer. Among respondents, 85% were a spouse, 86% were female, and 97% were white. The mean age was 63 years (range 34 to 72 years) and 73% of respondents completed college. The highest cancer stage for patients was non-invasive in 42%, muscle-invasive in 33%, and metastatic in 24%. On bivariable analysis, stage was associated with leisure and social support but was not associated with global QOL, psychologic or physical well-being, burden, relationship with healthcare, administration and finances, coping, self-esteem or private life. However, on multivariable analysis controlling for age, race, years since diagnosis, and comorbidity, stage was significantly associated with Caregiver QOL (p=0.04). Conclusions: Disease stage significantly impacts QOL among bladder cancer caregivers. As the caregiver is increasingly considered as a stakeholder in survivorship efforts, future interventions should consider targeting social support among caregivers of patients with advanced bladder cancer.


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