Analysis of the development trajectory and influencing factors of demoralization syndrome in young and middle-aged patients with lung cancer during chemotherapy
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to investigate the developmental trajectories and influencing factors of demoralization syndrome in young and middle-aged patients with lung cancer. Methods: From January to December 2024, 125 young and middle-aged patients with lung cancer from a tertiary Grade A hospital in Jiangxi Province were selected via convenience sampling. Data collection included the General Information Questionnaire, Demoralization Scale-II (DS-II), MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Demoralization syndrome levels were assessed at four time points: prior to the first chemotherapy, after the second chemotherapy, after the fourth chemotherapy, and after the sixth chemotherapy. Latent growth mixture modeling (LGMM) was employed to identify demoralization syndrome trajectories, while multivariate logistic regression analysis determined the factors influencing these trajectories during chemotherapy. Results: Three distinct trajectories were identified: high demoralization with fluctuating increase (27.8%), moderate demoralization with slow increase (40.3%), and low demoralization with continuous increase (36.7%). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that patient age, symptom burden, and levels of anxiety and depression significantly influenced the developmental trajectories of demoralization syndrome in these patients (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Demoralization syndrome levels in young and middle-aged patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy exhibit considerable heterogeneity. Healthcare professionals should monitor variations in demoralization syndrome across patient groups and implement targeted interventions based on the identified influencing factors to mitigate demoralization.
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