The study purposes were to explore: (1) the status of sense of dignity, demoralization and depression in the end-of-life cancer patients; (2) the difference of received dignity therapy and not received dignity therapy on the sense of dignity, demoralization and depression in the end-of-life cancer patients; (3) the effect of dignity therapy on the sense of dignity, demoralization and depression in the end-of-life cancer patients.
Methods:
This was a quasi-experimental study design with the experimental and control group for those who were diagnosed as the end-of-life cancer patients. Dignity therapy was used as the intervention for the experimental group. Patient Dignity Inventory Mandarin Version (PDI-MV), Demoralization Scale Mandarin Version (DS-MV), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were adopted to measure participants’ sense of dignity, demoralization, and depression. The measurement time were pre-test (before intervention), post-test 1 (day 7), and post-test 2 (day 14).Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was employed to test the repeated measures.
Results:
From October 27, 2016 to January 19, 2017, there were 57 participants eligible for the study, 27 (47.4%) rejected the study. A total of 30 the end-of-life cancer patients participated in this study, including 16 in the experimental group and 14 in the control group. The results showed that the experimental and control group whether between or within groups, there were statistically significant differences in sense of dignity, demoralization and depression. After dignity therapy, the sense of dignity on experimental group were significant enhanced(β = -37.08, SD = 7.43, Wald χ2 = 24.94, p < 0.001)、demoralization(β = -39.55, SD = 6.42, Wald χ2 = 37.95, p < 0.001) and depression(β = -12.01, SD = 2.17, Wald χ2 = 30.71, p < 0.001)were significant reduced.
Conclusion:
The implementation of dignity therapy can enhance the sense of dignity, and reduce the demoralization and depression for the end-of-life cancer patients. The results can provide clinical reference and applications