The effect of physical and psychological symptoms on spiritual well-being and emotional distress in inpatient cancer patients

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the effects of physical and psychological symptoms seen in inpatient cancer patients on spiritual well-being and emotional distress. Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 98 cancer patients treated in oncology, haematology, and stem cell services at a university hospital between April-June 2022. Socio-Demographic Characteristics Form, Karnofsky Performance Scale, Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Distress Thermometer and Spiritual Well-being Scale were used to collect data. Statistical analyzes were made by taking the descriptive features of the data. Results: It was determined that 55.1% of the patients were diagnosed with cancer for more than one year, 53.1% receiving treatment for more than one year, 61.2% were diagnosed with haematological cancer, and 62.2% were treated only with chemotherapy. Cancer type (p<0.01), treatment (p<0.05) and Karnofsky scores (p<0.01) had an effect on the on spiritual well-being and distress scores. It was determined that 39.8% of the patients were in the yellow zone of the distress thermometer, could not manage their stress well and needed psychological support. As the psychological symptoms of the patients increased, their spiritual well-being declined (r=-0.447, p<0.01), and as their physical (r=0.222, p<0.05) and psychological (r=0.311, p<0.01) symptoms increased, their distress scores increased. Conclusion: It is anticipated that identifying the problems that patients have and making interventions to solve those problems by oncology nurses would significantly contribute to the patient’s spiritual well-being and emotional distress.