CN3 - Existential distress in head-and-neck male cancer patients: A comprehensive study of demographic factors

Background

Terminally ill patients may experience existential distress, which is defined as anxiety towards life in the final stage. Head and neck cancer-affected patients have specific particularities due to their psychosocial conditions. We aim to know if there is any certain condition that can lead to existential distress in a cohort of terminal hospitalized patients according to age, religious status, pain, family atmosphere, alcohol consumption and education.

Methods

We carried out an observational retrospective analysis of 50 terminal patients. We assumed existential distress according to a proven scale in DSM-5-TR (demoralisation syndrome) and we compared that dependent-variable with those other exposed categories. Our plan was to determine if there was specific risk of existential distress based on demographic features. The statistical analysis was done with the SPSS v23. software.

Results

A total of 23 patients (46%) experimented existential stress. The incidence of existential stress was 73% in non-religious patients (p=0.015) and 85% in city patients (p=0.01); it was remarkable that there were no existential stress in family-ness patients. In the multivariant analysis non-believers were patients were particularly at risk of existential stress (ORR 4.33; CI 95% 1.47-12.39; p=0.002); besides alcohol consumption also increased risk of existential stress (ORR 6.39; CI 95% 2.34-9.86; p=0.001) meanwhile low pain was an important protector factor (0.215; CI 95% 0.08-0.53; p=0.01).

Conclusions

This is the first phase of an observational project set in our center. It has been set up as a way of intervening in refractory symptoms, specifically in terminal patients. Prospective studies are ongoing to validate these data.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.