Gratitude at the End of Life: A Promising Lead for Palliative Care.

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State: Public
Version: Author's accepted manuscript
License: Not specified
Serval ID
serval:BIB_74D99E8B45F7
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Gratitude at the End of Life: A Promising Lead for Palliative Care.
Journal
Journal of palliative medicine
Author(s)
Althaus B., Borasio G.D., Bernard M.
ISSN
1557-7740 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1557-7740
Publication state
Published
Issued date
11/2018
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
21
Number
11
Pages
1566-1572
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Numerous studies, conducted largely with non-clinical populations, have shown a significant link between gratitude and psychological dimensions relevant for palliative care (e.g., psychological distress). However, the relevance of gratitude in the context of palliative care needs to be confirmed.
We strived to evaluate the association between gratitude and quality of life (QoL), psychological distress, post-traumatic growth, and health status in palliative patients, and to develop an explanatory model for QoL. An ancillary purpose was to identify which life domains patients considered sources of gratitude.
We performed an exploratory and cross-sectional study with palliative patients of the Lausanne University Hospital.
We used the Gratitude Questionnaire, the McGill Quality of Life questionnaire revised, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory, and the health status items of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Spearman correlations and multivariate analyses were performed.
Sixty-four patients participated (34 women, mean age = 67). The results showed significant positive correlations between gratitude and QoL (r = 0.376), and the appreciation of life dimension of the post-traumatic growth (r = 0.426). Significant negative correlations were found between gratitude and psychological distress (r = -0.324), and health status (r = -0.266). The best model for QoL explained 47.6% of the variance (F = 26.906) and included psychological distress and gratitude. The relational dimension was the most frequently cited source of gratitude (61%).
Gratitude may act positively on QoL and may protect against psychological distress in the palliative situation. The next step will be the adaptation and implementation of a gratitude-based intervention.
Keywords
Aged, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Palliative Care, Quality of Life/psychology, Stress, Psychological/psychology, Surveys and Questionnaires, Terminal Care, gratitude, palliative care, positive psychology, psychological distress, quality of life
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
31/07/2018 9:44
Last modification date
21/11/2022 8:23
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