Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the re lationship of hopelessness and spiritual-need of cancer patients. Subjects for this study were 272 cancer patients sampled from a madical center in Pusan. The data were collected from Feb. 1 to Mar. 10, 1998 using questionnaire method. Hopelessness measured hopelessness scale was the One(1986) modification of Beck(1974) and spiritual -need measured spiritual-need scale by Kim (1986) according to classification of Fish and Shelly. The questionnaire consisted of question regarding hopelessness scale(20 items 5 point) and spiritual-need scale (30 items 5 point scale). The reliability of this instrument was that the hopelessness scale was Cronbach's alpha=0.89 and the spiritual-need was Cronbach's alpha=0.93. The data were analyzed with the SFSS program using mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Post hok test and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient. The results of this study were as follow : 1. The mean score of the total hopelessness was 2.79 in 1(lowest) -to-5(highest) scoring system. The analysis of the hopelessness according to general characteristics of the cancer patients showed duration of treatment(F=3.77), cognition prognosis(F=2.92) age(F=2.66), religional effect of life(2.48). 2. The mean score of the total spiritual-need was 3.47 in 1(lowest)-to-5 (highest) scoring system. age(F=5.517), sex(F= .919), religion(F=25.89), religional effect of life(F=18.54), diagnosis(F= 7.67), main care giver(F=4.09), cognition of disease(F=2,92), cognition of prognosis (F=331), inspiring source(F= 12.72), acceptioal attitude of present situation(F= 13.52). according to the categoiised paiL were showed to the need for meaning and purpose(9.40), to the need for love and relatedness(7.08), and to the need for being forgiven(6,93). 3. There was significant correlation between the degree of hopelessness and spiritual-need(gamma=.146, P<0.05).