Distress and the religious and spiritual coping of Brazilians living with cancer: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the relationship between the subjective experience of distress and the use of religious and/or spiritual coping by adult chemotherapy patients. Method: A cross-sectional study conducted in 2018, with 100 patients undergoing chemotherapy. The data were collected through three tools: a characterization form, the Inventory of Subjective Distress Experiences in Illness, and the Brief Religious/Spiritual Coping Scale. The analysis was based on descriptive and inferential statistics, using the Spearman correlation test (p < 0.05), ANOVA, the Kruskall-Wallis test, and negative binomial regression. Results: A low level of overall, physical, existential, psychological and sociorelational distress was observed. The dimension of positive distress experiences, however, was above the intermediate level in the scale. With respect to coping, use of positive and negative facets was moderate and low, respectively. Very weak positive correlations were noted between negative coping and physical, existential, and overall distress. The regression analysis indicated a higher risk of distress with increasing age and greater negative religious coping. Conclusions: In this sample, higher means were found in the dimension of positive distress experiences; negative coping, although utilized less, had greater potential to exacerbate distress after adjustment for age, in contrast to that expected for positive coping, which did not manifest significant effects in alleviating it.