Religiosity and depression of patients with lung cancer

Abstract

The relationship between depression and religiosity of patients with lung cancer is not yet explored.

Aim: To examine possible association of religiousness and depression of patients with lung cancer and the relationship between religiosity and depression with sociodemographic data.

Subjects and methods: Forty-four patients with lung cancer were consecutively included. The Strength of Religious Faith Santa Clara questionnaire was used for assessment of religiosity, and for measuring depression the Center for Epidemiological Study of Depression (CES-D). Overall religiosity was measured with 5-pint Likert scale.

Results: The mean age of 59.54 years, mean overall religiosity, SCSORF 27.8, CES-D 17.9. In 43.1% meets the criteria for diagnosing depression.

In logistic regression analysis the only significant predictor of depression was less common frequency of going to church.

Depression is more pronounced in women and in religiosity there is no difference by gender. Significant differences in the items that measure loneliness, sadness, feelings of fatigue and anxiety are more pronounced in women.

Conclusions: Higher frequency of going to church predicts lower depression rate in the group of patients. Strength of faith and general assessment of religiosity were not significant predictors of depression which is not in accordance with the findings other studies. These differencies might be associated with factors specific for lung cancer and may be effect of gender, and should be explored in further studies.

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