Preparatory grief, psychological distress and hopelessness in advanced cancer patients

• Published in: European journal of cancer care Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 145 - 151
• Main Authors: MYSTAKIDOU, K., PARPA, E., TSILIKA, E., ATHANASOULI, P., PATHIAKI, M., GALANOS, A., PAGOROPOULOU, A., VLAHOS, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2008
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anxiety - psychology; Attitude to Death; cancer; Depression - psychology; Female; Grief; hopelessness; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - psychology; Nursing; palliative care; Palliative Care - psychology; preparatory grief; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Self Concept; Stress, Psychological; Surveys and Questionnaires; Terminally Ill - psychology; Greece
• ISSN: 0961-5423; 1365-2354
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2354.2007.00825.x

A study was undertaken to evaluate the preparatory grief process in advanced cancer patients and its relationship with hopelessness, depression and anxiety. In total, 94 advanced cancer patients treated in a Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit completed the Preparatory Grief in Advanced Cancer Patients (PGAC) Scale, the Greek Hospital Anxiety and Depression (G‐HAD) scales, and a measure of hopelessness the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The strongest correlation was found between grief and hopelessness (r = 0.63, P < 0.0005) and PGAC‐1 ‘self‐consciousness’ (r = 0.54, P < 0.0005). Similarly, strong associations revealed between PGAC total with anxiety (HAD‐D) and depression (HAD‐D) (P < 0.0005). Significant associations were depicted between hopelessness, depression and anxiety with PGAC‐total as well as with its components. Statistically significant associations were also obtained between grief, metastases (P = 0.073) and education (P = 0.043). In the multiple regression analysis (enter method), anxiety (P < 0.0005) was the strongest predictor of preparatory grief followed by hopelessness (P = 0.002), presence of metastases (P = 0.004) and depression (P = 0.033). Depression, hopelessness, anxiety and terminally ill patients' metastases contribute to the prediction of preparatory grief in this population.