“A Pain Deep in Your Soul (Being) that is Not Physical:” Assessing Spiritual Pain in Integrative Oncology Consultations

Spiritual pain contributes to the suffering of cancer patients. However, it is unclear whether patients seen outside of palliative care report spiritual pain and its relationship with symptom burden. Characteristics of patients reporting spiritual pain were examined, as well as the association of spiritual pain with symptom burden and how spiritual pain affected the factor structure of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS). A retrospective chart review was conducted of integrative oncology patients who completed the PROMIS10 and a modified ESAS (ESAS-FS) including financial distress and spiritual pain (pain deep in your soul/being that is not physical). Multiple logistic regression was used to assess associations between demographics and spiritual pain. T-tests compared ESAS-FS symptoms and global health for patients endorsing spiritual pain (0 vs. ≥1). Principal component analyses (oblique rotation) were also used to determine ESAS-FS symptom clusters. The sample (N = 1662) was mostly women (65%) and 39% endorsed spiritual pain at least ≥one. Men and older individuals were less likely to endorse spiritual pain (ps < 0.05). Presence of spiritual pain was associated with worse symptoms on the ESAS-FS and global health (ps < 0.001). The ESAS-FS had two symptom clusters, with the psychological factor including depression, anxiety, wellbeing, sleep, financial distress, and spiritual pain (Cronbach's alpha 0.78). Assessing spiritual pain and understanding the effects of its presence or absence in the context of other physical and psychosocial symptoms may provide additional opportunities for preventing exacerbation of symptoms, improving quality of life, and enhancing overall experience of care.