Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106109

C. Christina Bahn, MSPH, Jeremy S. Stafford, MS, Jean Y. Ko, BS, Kevin D. Stein, PhD, Tenbroeck G. Smith, MA, Jessica T. DeFrank, MPH, and Chiew-Kwei Kaw, MS. Behavioral Research Center, American Cancer Society, 1599 Clifton Road, Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30329, 404-329-7756, Christina.Bahn@cancer.org

BACKGROUND: Previous research has suggested that high levels of spirituality may modify perceived severity of physical symptoms in persons with chronic illness. The current study sought to test this hypothesis in a sample of local/regional staged colorectal cancer survivors, while examining relevant medical-demographic variables and perceived life satisfaction. METHOD: Data for this study came from the American Cancer Society's Study of Cancer Survivors-II, a cross-sectional study of cancer survivors. Logistic regression was used to model the effect of spirituality (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Spirituality) on symptom-related distress (Rotterdam Symptom Checklist), while including medical-demographic variables and perceived life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale) in the model. RESULTS: The sample of colorectal cancer survivors (n=762) had a median age of 70 years (range 29-94) and was predominately male (52%), married (68.1%), and Caucasian (69.7%). Compared to high spirituality survivors, low spirituality survivors were more likely (p<.001) to report high levels of pain (14.7%, n=54 vs. 41.9%, n=163) or fatigue (8.9%, n=33 vs. 34.9%, n=136). Findings remained significant after controlling for medical-demographic variables, physical health status, and life satisfaction (Pain odds ratio: 2.378, 95% confidence interval: 1.509 – 3.747; Fatigue odds ratio: 2.804, 95% confidence interval: 1.696 - 4.635). CONCLUSION: Our findings support previous research by showing that high spirituality may serve as a protective factor against symptom-related distress, even after controlling for relevant variables. These results suggest that low spirituality survivors could be at increased risk of symptom-related distress and could benefit from being targeted for psycho-social interventions.

Learning Objectives: After the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Describe previous spirituality and physical symptom-related distress research;
• List variables important to physical symptom-related distress in cancer survivors;
• Analyze the relationship between spirituality and physical symptom-related distress;
• Discuss moderating effect of spirituality on physical symtpom-related distress in cancer survivors and implications

Keywords: Religion, Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.