Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Comparing relationship between spiritual well‑being and death anxiety among women with breast and cervical cancers and women with gastric and colorectal cancers

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Nasrin Nezami
. Forouzandeh Dashti 1
. Leyla Alilu 2
. Shiva Heidari 3

1 Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia Branch, Urmia, Iran

3 Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Islamic Azad University, Urmia Branch, Urmia, Iran

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Death anxiety is one of the most common problems among women with cancer,
which can affect the useful treatment process. With regard to the superior role of spiritual well‑being
over other aspects of health, the present study is aimed to compare the relationship between spiritual
well‑being and death anxiety among women with breast and cervical cancers and women with gastric
and colorectal cancers.
METHODOLOGY: This was a descriptive–correlational study. Research statistical population included
Iranian women with cancer at major hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. 160 research samples were selected
through convenience sampling method based on inclusion criteria using a demographic questionnaire,
spiritual well‑being scale (Paloutzian et al.) and death anxiety scale (Templer). Research data were
analyzed through SPSS 22 using independent t‑test, Pearson’s correlation, and analysis of variance
at significance level 0.05.
RESULTS: The study findings indicated a significant inverse relationship between death anxiety
and spiritual well‑being (at 0.05) in both groups. As a result, people with higher spiritual well‑being
would experience less anxiety about death. In addition, the relationship between death anxiety and
spiritual well‑being in women with gastric and colorectal cancers was stronger than those with breast
and cervical cancers.
CONCLUSION: Spiritual well‑being is of effective factors of death anxiety among women suffering
from cancer. Spirituality and meeting spiritual needs are considered as nursing care priorities for
these women. Furthermore, paying attention to the spirituality by nurses may shield against individual
difficulties.

Keywords

Anxiety
cancer
death
spirituality
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 10, Issue 10
October 2020
Pages 1-7

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