Advanced Cancer Patients’ Perceptions of Dignity: The Impact of Psychologically Distressing Symptoms and Preparatory Grief

Purpose: The present study assesses the relationship between patient dignity in advanced cancer and the following variables: psychological distress, preparatory grief, and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: The sample consisted of 120 patients with advanced cancer. The self-admi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of palliative care 2018-04, Vol.33 (2), p.88-94
Main Authors: Kostopoulou, Sotiria, Parpa, Efi, Tsilika, Eleni, Katsaragakis, Stylianos, Papazoglou, Irene, Zygogianni, Anna, Galanos, Antonis, Mystakidou, Kyriaki
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Attitude to Death
Female
Greece
Grief
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms - psychology
Right to Die
Self Concept
Stress, Psychological
Surveys and Questionnaires
Terminally Ill - psychology
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Summary:Purpose: The present study assesses the relationship between patient dignity in advanced cancer and the following variables: psychological distress, preparatory grief, and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: The sample consisted of 120 patients with advanced cancer. The self-administered questionnaires were as follows: the Preparatory Grief in Advanced Cancer Patients (PGAC), the Patient Dignity Inventory–Greek (PDI-Gr), the Greek Schedule for Attitudes toward Hastened Death (G-SAHD), and the Greek version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (G-HADS). Results: Moderate to strong statistically significant correlations were found between the 4 subscales of PDI-Gr (psychological distress, body image and role identity, self-esteem, and social support) with G-HADS, G-SAHD, and PGAC (P < .005), while physical distress and dependency was moderately correlated with depression. Multifactorial analyses showed that preparatory grief, depression, and age influenced psychological distress, while preparatory grief, depression, and performance status influenced body image and role identity. Conclusions: Preparatory grief, psychological distress, and physical symptoms had significant associations with perceptions of dignity among patients with advanced cancer. Clinicians should assess and attend to dignity-distressing factors in the care of patients with advanced cancer.
ISSN:0825-8597
2369-5293
DOI:10.1177/0825859718759882