The aim was to investigate whether there is a relationship between strategy of coping with end-stage disease and cancer-related fatigue. The study was conducted using the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist, Brief Fatigue Inventory, and Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale to specify patient's strategy of coping. Finally, 51 hospice care patients with cancer were analyzed.
Main findings: The majority of responders adopted 1 of the 2 styles; avoidance (belongs to adaptive coping) or anxious preoccupation (destructive or maladaptive). Less often moderate fatalism and helpless/hopeless (H/H) or fighting spirit were observed. Significant correlation has been found between H/H or fatalism strategy and fatigue.
Conclusions: High level of fatigue had a negative impact on almost all aspects of daily living among people with H/H or fatalism strategy.
Keywords: adjustment to cancer; coping strategy; end of life; fatigue; palliative care; terminally ill.
© The Author(s) 2013.