The role of spirituality in symptom experiences among adults with cancer

Adults with cancer experience symptoms such as pain, fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbance, which can impede quality of life. Research suggests that addressing spirituality may be one route to support holistic symptom management. The purpose of this study is to explore how spirituality relates to common cancer-related symptoms (including severity, distress, and interference) among a sample of adults with cancer.

This is a secondary analysis of data from N = 200 solid tumor cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Symptom experiences were assessed with a modified version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Interference Subscale. Spirituality was assessed using a subset of items from the Fox Simple Quality of Life Scale. A series of ordinal and linear regressions were used to examine the relationship between spirituality and symptom severity, symptom-related distress, and symptom interference across four cancer-related symptoms (pain, fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbance).

Higher spirituality trended toward an association with lower pain severity, although results were not significant (p < .058). Higher spirituality was significantly associated with lower severity of fatigue (p < .003), depression (p < .006), and sleep disturbance (p < .004). Spirituality was not significantly associated with any of the four symptom-related distress outcomes. Higher spirituality was significantly associated with lower overall symptom interference (p < .004).

This study highlights the role of spirituality in the experience of cancer-related symptoms. Additional research is needed among more diverse samples of people with cancer. This foundational work could lead to the development of symptom management interventions that incorporate aspects of spirituality.