Factors Influencing the Level of Death Depression in Patients with Cancer: A Path Analysis

Background: Death depression is a common phenomenon among cancer patients that many factors could influence it.Aim: Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the factors and finding an influencing path out of death depression.Methods: A cross-sectional study (April to July, 2016) was done in 497 cancer patients who were recruited from those attending Cancer Centers inSari (Imam Khomeini Hospital) and Kerman, Iran. The patients were selected by convenience sampling. Data was collected using demographicquestionnaire, death depression scale, and Pargament s religious coping scale (the RCOPE).Results: The mean age and death depression score of cancer patients were 48.38±15.22 and 69.92±18.40, respectively. Multiple linear regressionanalysis showed economic status (β=5.37), cancer stage (β=-2.80), and religious coping behaviors (β=-0.34) as predictive variables of deathdepression. Path analysis revealed that economic status and cancer stage had both direct and indirect impacts on death depression but religious coping behaviors directly influenced death depression. Implications for practice: Considering to obtained results, death depressionshould be considered as one of the important nursing diagnoses. Therefore it is necessary to run counseling sessions beside regular treatment programs for these patients, until the special treatment programs will be started if the primary symptoms of depression were appeared.Keywords: cancer stage, death depression, economic status, path analysis, religious coping

Keywords:

cancer stage , death depression , economic status , path analysis , religious coping.