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Psychosocial symptoms associated with spiritual well-being in Latino patients and caregivers coping with advanced cancer

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A Correspondence to this article was published on 25 April 2024

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship among hopelessness, anxiety, and depression, with spiritual well-being in patients and family caregivers.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was administered to patients (n = 57) and caregivers (n = 57) that incorporated assessments that measured spiritual well-being, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, quality of life, family relationship, burden, fatalism, religiosity, and distress. Logistic regression and cross-tabulation analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between hopelessness, anxiety, and depression, with spiritual well-being. Logistic regression was used to quantify the impact of spiritual well-being on anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. Additionally, cross-tabulations with chi-square tests were conducted to explore associations between severity of hopelessness and severity of anxiety and depression.

Results

Logistic regression analyses showed negative associations between spiritual well-being and mental health outcomes, although not all findings were statistically significant. Among caregivers, a significant negative relationship was observed for depression (B =  − 0.161, p = 0.022). Hopelessness also exhibited a negative association with spiritual well-being among caregivers (B =  − 0.099, p = 0.054) and patients (B =  − .152, p = 0.038). Cross-tabulations highlighted significant associations in the severity of hopelessness symptoms with anxiety and depression levels among caregivers (p < .001).

Conclusion

Results reveal a relationship among psychosocial symptoms among Latino patient-caregivers coping with cancer. By emphasizing spiritual well-being, hopelessness, and anxiety and involving family patients and caregivers in the treatment process as a unit of care. Also, it indicates the need to develop culturally tailored interventions that aim to provide valuable assistance to Latino patients and caregivers coping with cancer.

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Data availability

Data may be made available upon request.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (5G12MD007579, 5R25MD007607, R21MD013674, and 5U54MD007579); National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute (2U54CA163071 and 2U54CA163068), R21CA180831-02 (Cultural Adaptation of Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Latinos), 1R25CA190169-01A1(Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy Training for Cancer Care Providers), 5K08CA234397 (Adaptation and Pilot Feasibility of a Psychotherapy Intervention for Latino with Advanced Cancer); and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center grant (P30CA008748). Supported in part by 133798-PF-19–120-01-CPPB from the American Cancer Society. The APC was funded by the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (5U54MS007579-35).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico

    Normarie Torres-Blasco, Lianel Rosario-Ramos & Eida Castro

  2. Ponce’s Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico

    Normarie Torres-Blasco, Cristina Peña-Vargas & Eida Castro

  3. Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Rosario Costas-Muñiz

  4. Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Megan J. Shen

Authors
  1. Normarie Torres-Blasco
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  2. Cristina Peña-Vargas
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  3. Rosario Costas-Muñiz
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  4. Lianel Rosario-Ramos
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  5. Megan J. Shen
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  6. Eida Castro
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Contributions

Conceptualization: Normarie Torres-Blasco, Rosario Costas-Muñiz, Megan Shen, Eida Castro; methodology: Normarie Torre-Blasco, Rosario Costas-Muñiz, Eida Castro; investigation: Normarie Torre-Blasco, Lianel Rosario-Ramos, Cristina Peña-Vargas; data curation: Normarie Torre-Blasco, Cristina Peña-Vargas; formal analysis and investigation: Normarie Torre-Blasco, Cristina Peña-Vargas; writing—original draft preparation: Normarie Torre-Blasco; writing—review and editing: Normarie Torre-Blasco, Rosario Costas-Muñiz, Megan Shen, Eida Castro; funding acquisition: Normarie Torres-Blasco; resources: Normarie Torre-Blasco, Rosario Costas-Muñiz, Eida Castro; supervision: Eida Castro; project administration: Normarie Torres-Blasco.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Normarie Torres-Blasco.

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Ethical approval

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ponce Health Sciences University–Ponce Research Institute Review Board and Ethics Committee (IRB); IRB #: 1907017527. It complies with the United States 45 Code of Federal Regulations part 46 (45 CFR 46) related to the Common Rule and human subject regulation.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Torres-Blasco, N., Peña-Vargas, C., Costas-Muñiz, R. et al. Psychosocial symptoms associated with spiritual well-being in Latino patients and caregivers coping with advanced cancer. Support Care Cancer 32, 195 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-024-08360-2

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