The Relationship between the Spiritual Health, Anxiety and Pain in Hospitalized Cancer Patients

Abstract

Purpose: This study is to find relationship between cancer patient’s spiritual health and the level of their anxiety and pain. Methods: From April 27 through May 11, 2012, a survey was conducted with 167 cancer patients hospitalized at a university hospital in Busan. Spiritual health was measured by the Spiritual Health Inventory developed by Highfield (1992). The instrument for anxiety measu rement was the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory by Spielberger (1975) and that for pain was the Visual Analogue Scale (2009). The association between patients’ characteristics and spiritual health, anxiety or pain degree were analyzed using the ANOVA test. The interrelationship between spiritual health, anxiety and pain was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Results: The patients exhibited a moderate degree of spiritual health and anxiety and a mild level of pain. Patients’ spiritual health significantly differed by their religion, educ ation, monthly income of the family, illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living and support. Their anxiety level was significantly different according to age, religion, education, illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living, family/friends’ support and use of analgesics. Significant differences were also found in the level of pain according to illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living, family/friends’ support and use of analgesics. We found a moderately negative correlation between spiritual health and anxiety. Anxiety and pain showed a positive correlation, and spiritual health and pain exhibited a negative correlation. Conclusion: To help cancer patients to manage their spiritual health, anxiety and pain, a program should be develop ed considering the primary factors discussed in this study.