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01-02-2016

Spirituality is associated with better prostate cancer treatment decision making experiences

Authors: Michelle A. Mollica, Willie Underwood III, Gregory G. Homish, D. Lynn Homish, Heather Orom

Published in: Journal of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 1/2016

Abstract

This study examined whether spiritual beliefs are associated with greater decision-making satisfaction, lower decisional conflict and decision-making difficulty with the decision-making process in newly diagnosed men with prostate cancer. Participants were 1114 men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer who had recently made their treatment decision, but had not yet been treated. We used multivariable linear regression to analyze relationships between spirituality and decision-making satisfaction, decisional conflict, and decision-making difficulty, controlling for optimism and resilience, and clinical and sociodemographic factors. Results indicated that greater spirituality was associated with greater decision-making satisfaction (B = 0.02; p < 0.001), less decisional conflict (B = −0.42; p < 0.001), and less decision-making difficulty (B = −0.08; p < 0.001). These results confirm that spiritual beliefs may be a coping resource during the treatment decision-making process. Providing opportunities for patients to integrate their spiritual beliefs and their perceptions of their cancer diagnosis and trajectory could help reduce patient uncertainty and stress during this important phase of cancer care continuum.

As the FACIT-Sp subscales assess quite distinct constructs, it is possible that one or the other was largely responsible for the reported associations with the decision-making outcomes. We wanted to verify that both subscales were associated with the decision-making scales. They were; scores on the meaning/peace subscale were significantly associated with greater decision-making satisfaction (B = 0.03; 95 % CI 0.03, 0.04; p < .001), lower decisional conflict (B = −0.77; 95 % CI −0.92, −0.62; p < .001), and lower decision-making difficulty (B = −0.15; 95 % CI −0.19, −0.11; p < .001). Scores on the faith in illness subscale were also associated with greater decision-making satisfaction (B = 0.02; 95 % CI 0.01, 0.02; p < .001), less decisional conflict (B = −0.39; 95 % CI −0.53, −0.24; p < .001), and less decision-making difficulty (B = −0.06; 95 % CI −0.10, −0.02; p = 0.003).

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Title: Spirituality is associated with better prostate cancer treatment decision making experiences
Authors: Michelle A. Mollica
Willie Underwood III
Gregory G. Homish
D. Lynn Homish
Heather Orom
Publication date: 01-02-2016
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 1/2016
Print ISSN: 0160-7715
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3521
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-015-9662-1

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Spirituality is associated with better prostate cancer treatment decision making experiences

Abstract

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