Hope Index Research Articles

The effect of "Narrative writing reflection" method on the hope of patient with COVID-19: A health promotion intervention.

Corona virus disease disease as a life-threatening respiratory disease causes psychological problems including hopelessness in patients. So the aim of this study was to determine the effect of Narrative writing reflection on hope of patient with COVID-19. The study was experimental with a pre-test-post-test and with the control group design. The subjects were randomly divided into the intervention (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups. The intervention group received Narrative writing reflection. The control group was receiving routine care. Before and after the intervention, the patients were asked to complete the 12-item Herth Hope Index. Data were analyzed with by using spss software and paired t test and independent t-test with a significance level of P < 0.05. Independent t-test showed that the hope scores before intervention in both intervention and control groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05), whereas there was a significant difference between two groups after the intervention (P < 0.05). The results of this study showed that the use of mindfulness methods such as narrative writing in hospitalized and quarantined patients who are unable to communicate with the outside environment could increase the hope in patient.

Remembering the Past for Better Future: Positive Effect of Nostalgia on Hope

Living in uncertainty situation is not easy for some human being. It gives effect for mental health and decreasing hope for sustainability harmonize living. Surprisingly, some people could live positively during crisis. It becomes a model on ‘how can we live such a tough situation’. This study explored the positive effect of nostalgia on hope during crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The research applied predictive-correlational quantitative method with 315 emerging adulthoods from Indonesia having an age range from 18-25 years. Hope was measured using The Herth Hope Index (HHI) developed by Herth, adapted to the Indonesian version in the COVID-19 pandemic context by the authors. Meanwhile nostalgia was measured using the Indonesian version of State Functions of Nostalgia Scale which was adapted by Abraham, Ali, Andangsari, and Hartanti from Hepper, Ritchie, Sedikides, and Wildschut. Result has shown that nostalgia had a significant positive effect on hope. It can be concluded that nostalgia significantly gave a positive effect on hope during the uncertainty situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. Reminiscing a nostalgic memory that happened before the pandemic occurred help young people to eliminate negative mood, increase self-esteem, increase a perception of social relationships, and develop a perception towards the meaning of life which make someone less anxious.

Resilience, Hope, And Forgiveness Among College Students

This study aimed to explore the relationship between resilience, hope, and forgiveness and the difference between forgiveness and hope regarding sex. The result of this study with a mixed method research design precisely sequential explanatory through follow-up is to create a model that will better understand the variables being explored from a Filipino perspective. The participants of this study included 250 college students from a university and were selected through nonprobability sampling, specifically quota sampling for the quantitative part of the study, and 15 college students to answer the interview. The study used a mixed method design, specifically sequential explanatory through follow-up design. There were three instruments used in the study, namely: Herth Hope Index, Heartland Forgiveness Scale, and Wagnild and Young's Resilience Scale, and validated interview questions. The results suggest a significant relationship between hope and resilience, but there is no significant relationship between hope and forgiveness. Additionally, when compared based on sex, it was found that there is no significant difference between forgiveness and hope. In terms of thematic analysis, themes formed out of the participants' experiences in life about resilience include positivity, adaptability towards circumstances, and toughening. In terms of perception of hope by the participants, faith, desire and possibility were the themes formed. Based on the participants' responses, two types of forgiveness have been formed, which include decisional and emotional forgiveness. As a person becomes more hopeful in his or her, he or she can also be resilient in facing adversities in life. Hope can be a source of resilience. However, it is not at all times that hope can influence the likelihood of forgiving people who have offended someone. There can be other factors that can make people forgive. Hope and forgiveness do not differ in terms of sex.

Correlates of Cancer-Related Fatigue among Colorectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Postoperative Adjuvant Therapy Based on the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms.

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common and burdensome symptom in cancer patients that is influenced by multiple factors. Identifying factors associated with CRF may help in developing tailored interventions for fatigue management. This study aimed to examine the correlates of CRF among colorectal cancer patients undergoing postoperative adjuvant therapy based on the theory of unpleasant symptoms. A cross-sectional study was implemented, and finally, a sample of 363 participants from one tertiary general hospital and one tertiary cancer hospital was purposively recruited. Data were collected using the general information questionnaire, cancer fatigue scale, the distress disclosure index, Herth hope index, and perceived social support scale. Univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to determine the correlates of CRF. The mean score of CRF among colorectal cancer patients was 21.61 (SD = 6.16, 95% CI 20.98-22.25), and the fatigue degree rating was "moderate". The multiple linear regression model revealed that 49.1% of the variance in CRF was explained by hope, sleep disorder, internal family support, self-disclosure, pain, and time since operation. Our study identified several significant, modifiable factors (self-disclosure, hope, internal family support, pain, and sleep disorder) associated with CRF. Understanding these correlates and developing targeted psychosocial interventions may be associated with the improvement of CRF in patients with colorectal cancer.

Psychometric properties of the French version of the Herth Hope Index assessment (HHI-F)

IntroductionThe feeling of hope is an important factor in the well-being and mental health of individuals. The 12-item Herth Hope Index (HHI) measures different dimensions of hope and assesses the state of motivation to overcome situations with strong stressful or life threatening factors. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a French adaptation of the HHI. MethodBased on a French translation of the HHI made during a translation and counter-translation process (HHI-F), 247 higher education students completed an online survey on their mental health state during the COVID-19 pandemic, which included the HHI-F. A principal factor analysis (PCA) and several confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to compare the structure of the HHI-F with that of the original scale. Internal consistency and convergent validity were also assessed. ResultsThe best model relates to a two-factor solution, corresponding to the Spanish translation of the HHI. Internal consistency was very satisfactory, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .895 and a McDonald's Omega coefficient of .898. Significant correlations were observed between the HHI-F score and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS). DiscussionThe HHI-F showed good psychometric qualities, although its structure does not fully correspond to the original version of the HHI. This scale should thus facilitate research in mental health psychology among French-speaking audiences.

Analysis of the Effect of the Communication Ability of Nurses in Outpatient Infusion Room on the Treatment Experience of Patients and Their Families.

Objective To observe the effect of nursing communication ability in outpatient infusion room on the treatment experience of outpatients and their families and analyze whether improving nurses' communication skills can reduce the incidence of doctor-patient disputes. Methods According to the results of the communication ability survey, the outpatient nurses in our hospital are divided into groups A (score < 65), B (65 ≤ score < 80), C (80 ≤ score < 95), and D (score ≥ 95). Taking outpatients and their families in our hospital from September 2019 to December 2020 as the research objects, they were divided into corresponding groups according to the nurses who served them. Finally, there were 73 cases in group A, 85 in group B, 92 in group C, and 65 in group D. The mental toughness scale (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale Chinese (CD-RISC)) scores and Herth Hope Index (HHI) scores of the four groups of patients were compared, and the correlation between nurse communication scores and CD-RISC scores and HHI scores was analyzed. The incidence of negative events (patient-nurse disputes, complaints, etc.) and the results of nursing satisfaction surveys during the visits of the four study groups were also counted. Results The four groups of CD-RISC and HHI total scores were ranked from highest to lowest as groups D, C, B, and A, respectively (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the resilience dimension scores of the family members' CD-RISC and the toughness, strength, optimism dimension scores of the HHI and the nurses' communication dimension scores (r = 0.191-0.472, P < 0.05). Besides, the incidence of negative events was higher in group A than in the other three groups, while the satisfaction with care was lower than in the other three groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion Improving nurses' communication skills in infusion room nursing quality management can improve the mental toughness and hope level of patients' accompanying family members, which is conducive to controlling their emotions and avoiding the occurrence of dispute incidents.

Happiness, Hope, and Adherence to Treatment Regimen Among Iranian Older Adults with Chronic Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity and mortality have been found to be directly associated with age, chronic diseases, and immune system deficiency. Therefore, older adults suffering from chronic diseases are at a higher risk of the serious complications of COVID-19 and receive less social support, compared to younger age groups, which usually results from complicated treatment regimens. Moreover, the increase in age is accompanied by changes in the quality of psychological well-being. Considering this group’s higher vulnerability, it is essential to identify the factors related to their psychological well-being, such as happiness and hope. Objectives: Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationships between happiness and hope with adherence to the treatment regimen among older adults with chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 216 older adults over 55 years of age who suffered from chronic diseases in comprehensive centers for the elderly. The data were collected using validated instruments, such as the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and Herth Hope Index. Then, the data were entered into SPSS software (version 24) and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, dispersion indices, and regression. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 70.64 ± 10.56 years. The mean scores of adherence to treatment, hope, and happiness were 65.72 ± 7.1, 73.91 ± 29.3, and 47.74 ± 34.10, respectively. Based on the results, good adherence to treatment was observed in 128 (59.3%) participants. The results revealed no significant relationship between the mean scores of hope and adherence to the treatment regimen (b = 0.037, P = 0.222). However, a significant relationship was observed between the mean scores of happiness and adherence to the treatment regimen (b = 0.036, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Interventions aiming at increasing such patients’ happiness levels might be effective in their health-related behaviors, including adherence to treatment regimens, improvement of the disease process, and enhancement of quality of life.

Patient-reported hope, quality of life, symptom burden, coping, and financial toxicity in early-phase clinical trial participants.

275 Background: Early phase clinical trials (EP-CTs) investigate novel treatment options in oncology, with recent advances in personalized therapy leading to improved outcomes and offering hope to patients with cancer. However, little research has sought to understand associations of patient-reported hope with quality of life (QOL), symptom burden, coping, and financial toxicity in EP-CT participants. Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive adults with cancer participating in EP-CTs at Massachusetts General Hospital from 04/2021-05/2022. Participants completed baseline surveys prior to treatment initiation that assessed hope (Herth Hope Index [HHI], higher scores indicate greater hope), QOL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General), symptom burden (physical: Edmonton Symptom Assessment System [ESAS]; psychological: Patient Health Questionaire-4 [PHQ4]), coping (Brief COPE: self-blame, acceptance, denial, emotional support, active, behavioral disengagement), and financial toxicity (COST tool, higher scores indicate greater financial wellbeing). We used regression models to determine associations of hope scores with patient-reported QOL, symptom burden, coping, and financial toxicity. Results: Of 157 eligible patients, we enrolled 129 (enrollment rate 82.2%, median age = 62.5 years [range 33.0-83.0], 53.9% female, and 96.0% metastatic cancer). Most common cancer types were gastrointestinal (37.5%), breast (20.3%), lung (8.6%), and head and neck (7.8%). Patients had an average HHI score of 27.5 (range 15.3 – 36.0), with 30.5% reporting high levels of hope. We found associations of higher hope scores with better QOL (B = 0.24, p &lt; 0.001) and lower symptom burden (ESAS-physical: B = -0.14, p &lt; 0.001; PHQ4-depression: B = -2.07, p &lt; 0.001; PHQ4-anxiety: B = -0.93, p = 0.001). We also found that hope scores were associated with patients’ coping (self-blame [B = -1.44, p &lt; 0.001]; acceptance [B = 1.40, p &lt; 0.001], denial [B = -1.12, p = 0.004], emotional support [B = 0.99, p &lt; 0.001], active [B = 1.02. p = 0.001], behavioral disengagement [B = -2.52, p &lt; 0.001]). Lastly, we found that higher hope scores were associated with greater financial wellbeing (B = 0.11, p = 0.026). Conclusions: In this prospective cohort study, we demonstrated a substantial proportion of EP-CT participants had high baseline hope and identified associations of hope scores with other important patient-reported outcomes. Specifically, we found novel associations of higher hope scores with better QOL, lower symptom burden, more adaptive coping mechanisms, and greater financial wellbeing, underscoring the importance of targeting these patient-reported outcomes when seeking to enhance the care experience of EP-CT participants.

Resilience mediates the influence of hope, optimism, social support, and stress on anxiety severity among Chinese patients with cervical spondylosis.

ObjectiveCervical spondylosis (CS) is a potential stressor threatening mental health among affected individuals. This study was to analyze resilience level and associated factors among cervical spondylosis (CS) patients, and to explore the underlying mechanism of anxiety based on resilience-focused psychological variables.MethodsResilience Scale-14 (RS-14), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Herth Hope Index (HHI), Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) were used in this cross-sectional investigation among 250 CS patients.ResultsThe score of resilience was 65.58 ± 16.14. Hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed that hope, optimism, perceived social support, perceived stress, and whether having comorbid chronic diseases were the independent associates of resilience among CS patients, which explained 63.9% of the total variance. The structural equation model showed that hope, optimism, perceived social support and perceived stress affected anxiety via resilience, and hope and optimism also had direct effects on anxiety.ConclusionChinese patients with CS had moderate level of mental resilience, which was independently related to hope, optimism, perceived social support, perceived stress, and whether having comorbid chronic diseases. Resilience played a mediating role between various psychological variables and anxiety. Improving the level of resilience, hope, optimism and perceived social support and reducing the level of perceived stress are important strategies to reduce anxiety level. Relevant healthcare professionals should put more focus on the mental problems of Chinese CS patients and help maintain good psychological status by improving their resilience and associated psychological variables thereof.

Agreement between parent-proxy and child self-report in pediatric hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) is a common disorder in children and adolescents that negatively impacts health-related quality of life (HRQOL). It can include chronic pain, fatigue, autonomic dysfunction, and mood problems. The objective of this study was to examine levels of agreement between children and parents in the setting of hEDS and HRQOL. Individuals with hEDS, ages 10-20years, and their parents were recruited to complete a series of surveys. Instruments included pediatric quality of life generic and multidimensional fatigue scales, Functional Disability Index, Pain-Frequency-Severity-Duration scale, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and Herth Hope Index. Agreement on each measure was evaluated using statistical calculations. Thirty-six parent-child dyads completed the surveys. There were no significant differences between the means of parent and child scores. There was moderate to strong agreement on all survey scores. However, the proportion of dyads with disagreement was relatively high for each individual score. Eighteen dyads disagreed on at least half of the surveys. Body mass index centile and child perception of cognitive fatigue most strongly predicted disagreement in total HRQOL score. Proxy-reporters for children and adolescents with hEDS may agree with their child on average. However, due to significant frequency of clinically important disagreement, information from both children and their parents should be sought whenever possible.

Measurement invariance in gender and age of the Herth Hope Index to the general spanish population across the lifespan

The Herth Hope Index (HHI) is used to measure hope. Assessing the psychometric properties of HHI in Spanish population, exploring its structural validity, the different functionalities of the items and the invariability of this measure according to the gender and age of the population. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to explore the scale’s dimensionality and test for strong measurement invariance across sex and age in a cross-sectional, multicenter, prospective study. A new scale was obtained with the structure of one factor with 9 items. Goodness-of-fit indices were excellent. The internal consistency of the one dimension proved high values. The configural invariance on gender shows that both men and women understand the new HHI items, also, this research also shows that there is no scalar invariance across age groups, revealing good levels of adjustment of the item. The Spanish version of the HHI proved to be a valid, reliable instrument to assess the hope in Spanish population.

Aspirational hope, dairy farming practices, and milk production: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial in Bolivia

Development economics has increasingly studied the role of diminished aspirations and other internal constraints that may form poverty traps. We present results from a controlled experiment to develop aspirational hope among 531 dairy farmers in Bolivia. Subjects in the treatment group participated in three coaching sessions that involved watching an inspiring documentary and participating in group workshops designed to augment aspirations related to dairy production. Results three months after baseline show an increase of 0.20σ in both an aspirational hope index and a business goals index, a 1.07σ increase in an index of quality-enhancing practices, but an insignificant increase in milk production. Increases in aspirations and best practices were strongest among those displaying high levels of intrinsic motivation at baseline.

Fear of cancer recurrence and hope level in patients receiving surgery for non-small cell lung cancer: a study on the mediating role of social support.

To study the level of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in patients receiving surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and explore related factors that can increase levels of hope in this population, enhance the confidence to defeat the disease, and thus increase the quality of life. A total of 327 postoperative NSCLC patients from the National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College were enrolled. All participants completed the General Questionnaire, Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), Herth Hope Index (HHI) Scale, and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). The mean FoP-Q-SF score was (30.3 ± 9.48) points in postoperative NSCLC patients, Among them, there were 188 patients (57.5%) who had psychological dysfunction, indicated by a score of > / = 34. Patient sex and family income were independent risk factors for FCR (both p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a negative association between FCR and hope level (p < 0.05) and a positive association between hope level and social support (p < 0.05). Notably, social support mediated the association between FCR and hope in patients receiving surgery for NSCLC (contribution effect: 30.24%). Postoperative NSCLC patients experience a moderate level of FCR, especially females and those with a low family income. Social support partially mediates the relationship between FCR and hope in this population. Therefore, an increase in the level of social support can increase hope among these patients and advancing recovery.

Family Support and Hope among People with Substance Use Disorder in China: A Moderated Mediation Model.

Studies have shown that hope is an important protective factor. At present, few of the available studies on hope have been conducted on people undergoing compulsory rehabilitation. This study explores the mediating role of resilience between family support and hope, and whether relapse plays a moderating role between family support, resilience, and hope. A total of 647 people with substance use disorder completed surveys on Perceived Social Support from Family Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Herth Hope Index. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the moderated mediation analysis. Family support not only has a direct effect on hope, but also has a significant indirect effect on hope through resilience. The indirect effect of family support on hope via resilience was significant among both the non-relapse group and relapse group; in addition, both the association between family support and resilience and the relation between resilience and hope were moderated by relapse experience. The results indicate that interventions targeting resilience might be an effective approach to improving hope among people with substance use disorder in China.

Hope During the COVID-19 Epidemic Decreased Anxiety and Depression Symptoms Mediated by Perceived Stress: Coping Style Differences Among Patients with COVID-19.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate whether perceived stress mediated the relationship between hope and anxiety/depression symptoms among patients with COVID-19 during the epidemic. In addition, the potential moderating effect of coping styles was examined.MethodsFrom February 26 to March 10, 2020, patients with COVID-19 were asked to complete a questionnaire online, which included demographic characteristics, as well as the SCL-90-Anxiety, SCL-90-Depression, Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), Herth Hope Index (HHI), and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire (TCSQ). Hierarchical linear regression was performed to explore independent factors of anxiety/depression. A multi-group structural equation modeling with the collected data from patients in the Negative Coping style (NC) group and Positive Coping style (PC) group was used to test the hypothesized mechanism.ResultsIn total, 382 valid questionnaires of patients were obtained, including 96 from NC patients and 286 from PC patients. In the hierarchical linear regression, hope and perceived stress were independent risk factors for both anxiety and depression in the total sample and PC group. However, hope was not independently related to anxiety/depression in the NC group. As hypothesized, the hope of patients had significant and negative indirect effects on both anxiety and depression that were mediated by perceived stress, However, the direct effect from stress on anxiety and depression was stronger for NC patients than for PC patients. Besides, hope had significant direct effects on anxiety/depression in PC patients, but not in NC patients.ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 epidemic, perceived stress could mediate the relationship between hope and anxiety/depression symptoms among COVID-19 patients, with coping style moderating this cultivation process.

Is there a relationship between end-of-life cancer patients' dignity-related distress and caregivers' distress? An exploratory study.

The mutual influence between end-of-life cancer patients and their family caregivers is widely endorsed. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between end-of-life cancer patients' dignity-related distress and the distress of their caregivers. A cross-sectional approach was used. The sample consisted of 128 patients with a Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) below 50 and a life expectancy of a few weeks, and their family caregivers. Personal and clinical data were collected and validated rating scales were administered: Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI) to terminal cancer patients; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Demoralization Scale (DS), Herth Hope Index (HHI), Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA), Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36), and Distress Thermometer (DT) to caregivers. Findings highlighted significant correlations between patients' scores on the Psychological Distress PDI subscale and the PDI Total Score and caregivers' Emotional Role. Patients' Psychological Distress, PDI Total Score, and Loss of Purpose and Meaning were associated with caregivers' Disrupted Schedule. Finally, patients' Physical Symptoms and Dependency, Loss of Purpose and Meaning, and PDI Total Score were correlated with caregivers' Disheartenment. The results highlighted the key role of dignity as a relational dimension during the end-of-life phase. Therefore, because of caregivers' distress could affect patients' dignity-related distress by influencing the interpersonal aspects of patients' autonomy, it would be important to relieve caregivers' distress in order to promote patients' autonomy and minimize their fear of being a burden.

The impact of COVID-related economic shocks on household mental health in Pakistan.

We combine data collected just prior to the unfolding of COVID‐19 with follow‐up data from July 2020 to document the adverse economic effects of the pandemic and resulting impact on parental and child mental well‐being in peri‐urban Pakistan. 22% of the households in our sample are affected by job loss, with monthly income down 38% on average. Our difference‐in‐difference results show that job loss is associated with a 0.88 standard deviation (SD) increase in adult mental distress scores (K10), a 0.43 SD reduction in a Hope index of children's aspirations, agency and future pathways, and a 0.40 SD increase in children's depression symptoms. In addition, we observe higher levels of parental stress and anger reported by children, as well as an increase in reported prevalence of domestic violence. Overall, we document that the pandemic has disproportionately and negatively affected the economic and mental well‐being of the most vulnerable households in our sample.

Beneficial Effects of Spiritual Experiences and Existential Aspects of Life Satisfaction of Breast and Lung Cancer Patients in Poland: A Pilot Study

Spiritual and existential issues are important factors for oncology patients' well-being. This study aimed to examine the beneficial role of spiritual experience, hope, and meaning in life for life satisfaction in patients diagnosed with breast and lung cancer. It was hypothesized that spiritual experiences and life satisfaction are indirectly related through hope, as well as meaning in life mediates the relationship between hope and life satisfaction. It was a pilot study with a sample consisting of 4 men and 46 women, 24–83 years of age oncology patients. The following measures were used: Cantril Ladder, Purpose in Life Test, Herth Hope Index as well as Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale. A sample of Polish patients with breast and lung cancer confirmed the beneficial effects of spiritual experiences and existential aspects of life for their life satisfaction. According to obtained results, hope was indirectly related to life satisfaction through meaning in life. Also, spiritual experiences were positively indirectly related to life satisfaction through the pathway of hope and meaning in life. Theoretical and practical implications of the achieved results were discussed.

The Persian version of Herth Hope Index in Iranian patients with cancer: A psychometric study.

Hope is a contextual concept that has significant effects on human well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Herth Hope Index (P-HHI) among Iranian patients with cancer. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 320 patients with cancer from September to December 2020. After translating the HHI into Persian, content, convergent and discriminant, construct validity (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis), and reliability of the P-HHI were assessed. The results of exploratory factor analysis showed that the P-HHI was composed of two factors: Life Expectancy and Thinking Positive, which explained 55.20% of the total variance. The research revealed that the P-HHI has acceptable validity and reliability, which can be used to measure the hope concept among Iranian patients with cancer.

Patient-reported hope, quality of life (QOL), symptom burden, and coping mechanisms in early phase clinical trial participants.

12114 Background: Early phase clinical trials (EP-CTs) investigate novel treatment options in oncology, with recent advances in personalized therapy leading to improved outcomes and offering hope to patients with cancer. However, little research has sought to understand associations of patient-reported hope with QOL, symptom burden, and coping mechanisms in EP-CT participants. Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive adults with cancer participating in EP-CTs at Massachusetts General Hospital from 04/2021-01/2022. Participants completed baseline surveys prior to treatment initiation that assessed hope (Herth Hope Index [HHI], higher scores indicate greater hope), QOL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General), symptom burden (physical: Edmonton Symptom Assessment System [ESAS]; psychological: Patient Health Questionaire-4 [PHQ4]), and coping mechanisms (Brief COPE). We used independent samples t-test to test for mean differences between groups and regression models to explore associations of hope with patient characteristics as well as patient-reported QOL, symptom burden, and coping mechanisms. Results: Of 92 eligible patients, we enrolled 85 (enrollment rate 92.4%, median age = 61.4 years [range 54.7-68.9]; 56.5% female, and 95.3% metastatic cancer). Most common cancer types were gastrointestinal (41.2%), breast (21.2%), lung (7.1%), and gynecologic (7.1%). Patients had an average HHI score of 28.2 (range 12.0-36.0), with 32.9% reporting high levels of hope. We found that married patients had higher mean hope score compared with non-married patients (28.9 versus 26.1, p = 0.024), those with children had higher mean hope scores than those without (28.9 versus 25.9, p = 0.013), and those who had received 3 or more lines of prior therapy compared with 1-2 (29.3 versus 27.2, p = 0.045) had higher hope scores. We also found associations of hope with patients’ QOL (B = 0.24, p &lt; 0.001), symptom burden (ESAS-physical: B = -0.13, p = 0.001; PHQ4-depression: B = -2.26 p = &lt; 0.001; PHQ4-anxiety: B = -0.94, p = 0.008), and coping (self-blame [B = -1.39, p = 0.003]; acceptance [B = 1.23, p = 0.002], denial [B = -1.09, p = 0.009], support [B = 1.06, p = 0.002], active [B = 0.73. p = 0.034], disengage [B = -3.24, p &lt; 0.001]). Conclusions: In this prospective cohort study, we demonstrated that a substantial proportion of EP-CT participants had high baseline hope, and we identified several patient factors associated with their hope scores. We also found novel associations of higher hope scores with better QOL, lower symptom burden, and more adaptive coping mechanisms. Collectively, our findings highlight the potential for patient-reported hope to represent a key factor to consider when seeking to improve outcomes in EP-CT participants.