The Relationship Between Spiritual Health With Existential Anxiety and Morbid Anxiety in Female Patients With Breast Cancer

Anxiety is one of the common disorders affecting the treatment process in patients with breast cancer. Regarding the importance of spiritual health on anxiety in cancer patients, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between spiritual health with existential anxiety and morbid anxiety in the female with breast cancer.

The research method was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population included all female patients with breast cancer referred to Imam Reza Oncology and Radiotherapy Center in Mashhad in 2017. A total of 195 patients with breast cancer were selected through random sampling. Data collection tools included Beck Anxiety Inventory (1990), Lawrence & Good Existential Anxiety Inventory (1974), and Paulotzin & Ellison Spiritual Health Inventory (1982). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multivariate regression.

This study was registered by the Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University E-Campu (Code: 950261902191). 

 The results showed a significant positive relationship between spiritual and existential dimensions of spiritual health with existential anxiety (P>0.01). But the relationship between two dimensions of spiritual health and patients’ anxiety was not significant (P>0.01). 

 Considering the importance of spiritual health in existential anxiety and morbid anxiety, strengthening spiritual health can influence cancer patients’ anxiety.