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Utilization of Hospital-Based Chaplain Services Among Newly Diagnosed Male Veterans Affairs Colorectal Cancer Patients

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine utilization of chaplain services among Veterans Affairs patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). In 2009, the Cancer Care Assessment and Responsive Evaluation Studies questionnaire was mailed to VA CRC patients diagnosed in 2008 (67 % response rate). Multivariable logistic regression examined factors associated with chaplain utilization. Of 918 male respondents, 36 % reported utilizing chaplains. Chaplain services were more likely to be utilized by patients with higher pain levels (OR = 1.017; 95 % CI = 0.999–1.035), younger age (age OR = 0.979; 95 % CI = 0.964–0.996), and later cancer stage (early stage OR = 0.743; 95 % CI = 0.559–0.985). Chaplain services are most utilized by younger, sicker patients.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the statistical support and calculations provided by Deborah Finstad in the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health and the University of Minnesota. This work was supported by the Inter-agency Quality of Cancer Care Committee, Applied Research Branch, and National Cancer Institute through an Interagency Agreement with the Veterans Health Administration (IAG V246S-00054). Ms. Zullig was supported by funding from the National Cancer Institute (5R25CA116339). During part of this work, Dr. Jackson held a Merit Review Entry Program award from the Veterans Affairs Health Services Research & Development Service (MRP-05-312). Dr. Provenzale was supported by an NIH K24 (DK002926-07).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Services Research and Development (152), Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 508 Fulton St., Durham, NC, 27705, USA

    Leah L. Zullig, George L. Jackson & Dawn Provenzale

  2. Department of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Leah L. Zullig

  3. Division of General Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    George L. Jackson

  4. Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Dawn Provenzale

  5. Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Joan M. Griffin & Sean Phelan

  6. Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Joan M. Griffin & Sean Phelan

  7. Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center and VA Mental Health Chaplaincy Program, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Jason A. Nieuwsma

  8. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Jason A. Nieuwsma

  9. Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Michelle van Ryn

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  1. Leah L. Zullig
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  2. George L. Jackson
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  3. Dawn Provenzale
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  4. Joan M. Griffin
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Correspondence to Leah L. Zullig.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government.

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Zullig, L.L., Jackson, G.L., Provenzale, D. et al. Utilization of Hospital-Based Chaplain Services Among Newly Diagnosed Male Veterans Affairs Colorectal Cancer Patients. J Relig Health 53, 498–510 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9653-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9653-2

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