Journal of palliative medicine
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Objectives: The purpose of this multicenter study was to characterize the association between spirituality, religiosity, spiritual pain, symptom distress, coping, and quality of life (QOL) among Latin American advanced cancer patients. Methods: Three hundred twenty-five advanced cancer patients from palliative care clinics in Chile, Guatemala, and the United States completed validated assessments: Faith, Importance and Influence, Community, and Address (FICA) (spirituality/religiosity), Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale-Financial/Spiritual (ESAS-FS), including spiritual pain, Penn State Worry Questionnaire-Abbreviated (PSWQ-A), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Brief-coping strategies (COPE) and Brief religious coping (RCOPE) and RCOPE, respectively, and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being, Expanded version (FACIT-Sp-Ex). Results: Median age: 58 years (range: 19-85); 60% female; and 62% Catholic and 30% Christian, but not Catholic. ⋯ Spirituality/religiosity was associated with positive COPE and higher QOL. Spiritual pain was also frequent and associated with physical and psychosocial distress. These patients need increased spiritual/religious support.