The Effects of Hopelessness on Chronic Disease Among African Americans and Caribbean Blacks: Findings from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL)

The Relationship Between Spirituality and Hopelessness Among Cancer Patients in Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between spirituality and hopelessness in cancer patients. The study used a cross-sectional and correlational design and included 650 cancer patients. The data were collected using a patient information form, the Spiritual Orientation Scale, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The data were analyzed by MANOVA and linear regression analysis. Cancer patients had high levels of spirituality (89.74 ± 32.79) and low levels of hopelessness (6.50 ± 5.61). A statistically significant relationship was found between the mean Spiritual Orientation Scale scores of the patients and their sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, marital status, educational status, employment status, income) (p < 0.05). A statistically significant relationship was found between the mean Beck Hopelessness Scale scores of the patients and their sociodemographic characteristics (age, marital status, income status) (p < 0.05). According to the linear regression analysis, a significant negative correlation was found between the spirituality and hopelessness levels of the patients (p < 0.01, R² = 0.503, b =  - 0.641). As the patients' spirituality increased, their levels of hopelessness decreased.

The Effect of COVID -19 Crisis on Hopelessness, Loneliness and Spiritual Well-Being of Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Turkey

This study aims to examine the relationship between the levels of hopelessness, loneliness, and spiritual well-being of patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes during the process of COVID-19 outbreak. The study was carried out with diabetic patients living in three different cities that are in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey between the dates of 15 of November and 30 of November 2020. The sample of the study consisted of 500 (Type 1, n = 218, Type 2, n = 282) diabetes patients. Data were collected using a demographic information form, Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS), and Spiritual Well-being Scale (FACIT-Sp). While the mean scores of hopelessness and loneliness of type 1 patients were below the moderate level, the mean scores of their spiritual well-being were found to be above the moderate level. Moreover, while the mean scores of hopelessness and loneliness in type 2 patients were below the moderate level, the mean scores of their spiritual well-being were found above the moderate level. A significant relationship was found between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients' levels of hopelessness, loneliness, and spiritual well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak. It was found that as the spiritual well-being levels of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients increased, the levels of their loneliness and hopelessness decreased. It is recommended that mass communication that includes spiritual care practices can be used effectively to reduce diabetes patients' levels of loneliness and hopelessness during the pandemic. In addition, while providing care to diabetes patients, it can be suggested that health professionals offer a holistic approach with initiatives that will increase diabetes patients' spiritual well-being.

Hopelessness and HIV infection: an exploratory study with a gender-specific perspective

BACKGROUND

An understudied psychological response to HIV-related stressors among people living with HIV is hopelessness. Hopelessness is the expectation that things will not improve and feeling helpless to change one's current situation. The aim of this study was to assess prevalence and levels of hopelessness and its direct and indirect contributors in people living with HIV in Sweden.

METHODS

Participants included 967 women and men from the "Living with HIV in Sweden" cross-sectional study with available data regarding hopelessness measured by the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Binary and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine direct and indirect factors that may contribute to feelings of hopelessness. Path analyses were used to assess the underlying structure of hopelessness. All analyses were conducted by gender.

RESULTS

Almost half the participants reported moderate to severe hopelessness. There were no differences in frequency of feeling hopeless or level of hopelessness by gender or sexual orientation. Dissatisfaction with finances, dissatisfaction with physical health, and low HIV-related emotional support were found to be directly associated with hopelessness for both women and men. Although having some indirect factors in common, unemployment and HIV stigmatization, women and men had different underlying structures of hopelessness.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings are important to HIV clinicians in identifying those at risk of hopelessness from a gender perspective in order to reduce preventable psychological distress among people living with HIV.