Effect of Spiritual Well-Being on End-of-life Despair in Terminally-ill Cancer Patients

The authors aimed to assess the relation between spiritual well-being, depression, & end-of-life despair in terminally-ill cancer patients. Significant correlations were found between spiritual well-being & desire for hastened death, hopelessness, & suicidal ideation. The authors conclude that spiritual well-being offers some protection against end-of-life despair in those for whom death is imminent. Implications of these findings are discussed.