Analyzing State of Despair in End-of-Life Cancer Patients: Do the Quality of Care and Satisfaction with Treatment Matter?

Abstract

Objective: The present study was focused on knowing how perception of patients about their end-of-life care and satisfaction with their treatment affect their state of despair including depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. Study design: This study was completed using survey research design. Settings: Fatima Medical Centre, Minar Hospital, City Hospital and Medicare Hospital, Multan-Pakistan. Duration: One year from October 2016 to September 2017. Methodology: A sample of 277 male cancer patients approached. Patients' age range was between 38 and 57 years (mean=48.54, SD=10.32). All the cancer patients provided data on the measures of Quality of End-of-life care and Satisfaction with Treatment (QUEST) scale, The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Beck Hopelessness Scale, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A).  Results: By employing correlation and regression analysis, findings revealed the significant negative correlations of patients' perception of quality of care and satisfaction with treatment with state of despair. Results demonstrated the significant impact of patients' perceived quality of care and perceived satisfaction with treatment on their levels of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. Conclusion: Findings of the current study evoke that when cancer patients perceived their doctors and nurses more caring and found their treatment more satisfactory, they reported low levels of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness.