Anxiety and Depression in Cancer Patients: The Association with Religiosity and Religious Coping

Abstract

There is a lack of studies looking into religiosity and religious coping in cancer patient. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the religiosity using Duke University Religion Index, religious coping using Brief Religious Coping Scale, anxiety and depression based on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale among 200 cancer patients. The association between religiosity and religious coping with anxiety and depression was studied. The findings showed that subjects with anxiety or depression used more negative religious coping and had lower non-organization religiosity. Hence, measurements in reducing negative religious coping and encouraging religious activities could help to reduce psychological distress in cancer patients.

Role of psychosocial reserve capacity in anxiety and depression in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

“…Further studies on the possible contribution of religiosity to explain the lower prevalence of anxiety and depression among Filipinos could explain the differences present in these samples and deserves further attention. For example, cancer patients with elevated depression and anxiety are found to have lower religiosity . Religious interventions decrease anxiety and depression, among other improved health outcomes .…”

Being in safe hands: Patients’ perceptions of how cancer services may support psychological well‐being

“…improved well-being (Hopman & Rijken, 2015;Merluzzi et al, 2017;Ng, Mohamed, Sulaiman, & Zainal, 2017).…”

“…This has typically focused on diagnosis and the early treatment period and has been informed by coping models that incorporate an appraisal process e.g., Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (Ahadi, Delavar, & Rostami, ; Hulbert‐Williams, Morrison, Wilkinson, & Neal, ; Laubmeier & Zakowski, ). Whilst acknowledging that coping is a dynamic process which varies over time and in response to different stressors, these studies highlight a range of active coping strategies consistently associated with reduced psychological distress and improved well‐being (Hopman & Rijken, ; Merluzzi et al., ; Ng, Mohamed, Sulaiman, & Zainal, ).…”

Religion and Depression in South Korea: A Comparison between Buddhism, Protestantism, and Roman Catholicism

“…Previous studies indicated that religious participation played a significant role in achieving greater life satisfaction and improved psychological health. Religion can lead to lower incidences of psychiatric disorders (Chaaya et al 2007;Ng et al 2017). It was reported that public and private religious practices, including praying, confession, forgiveness, and blessings, could help one to maintain better mental health as these religious practices are known to help participants cope with fears, anxiety, frustration, anomie, despondency, and isolation (Behere et al 2013).…”

“…Religiosity is a multidimensional construct that encompasses involvement in religious activities, intrinsic faith, belief, attitudes, practices, identification, and affiliation (Ng et al 2017). Church attendance is one of the most widely used measures to evaluate the extent of religious involvement (Behere et al 2013).…”