Existential distress and associated factors in advanced cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to investigate the current state of existential distress and identify its associated factors in advanced cancer patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 352 advanced cancer patients from three tertiary hospitals in Fujian, China. Participants were invited to finish Existential Distress Scale, Number Rating Scale, Self-perceived Burden Scale, Quality of Life Concerns in the End of Life Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Result: A total of 352 advanced cancer patients were recruited in this study. The average score of existential distress was 8.48±7.12 among advanced cancer patients. Multiple regression showed that its associated factors were depression (β= 0.32, P=0.000), self-perceived burden (β= 0.18, P=0.001), spouse (β= -0.10, P=0.050), and government subsidies (β= 0.17, P=0.001). The factors accounted for 30.1% of the total variance in existential distress (F=8.472, P＜0.001). Conclusion: Existential distress is positively influenced by depression, self-perceived burden, and government subsidies, but negatively influenced by a spouse among advanced cancer patients. Depression is its most important risk factor, and future existential distress interventions could target at depression.