Religiousness and hope in Hispanic- and Anglo-American women with breast cancer.

Religiousness has been associated with coping with cancer in the general population, but cultural influences have not been well explicated. The purpose of this study was to compare a sample of Hispanic-American women to a matched sample of Anglo-American women on selected religious variables and on a measure of hope. A sample of 25 Hispanic and 25 Anglo women diagnosed with breast cancer completed a hope scale, a spiritual well-being scale, and a religiousness scale and responded to selected demographic and medical questions. The only significant difference between the two groups was in intrinsic religiousness, with Hispanic women scoring higher (t = 2.07, df = 24, p < 0.05). Among Hispanics, neither intrinsic nor extrinsic religiousness was more important in predicting either existential well-being or hope. However, intrinsic religiousness was a more important predictor of religious well-being and total spiritual well-being than was extrinsic religiousness. Among Anglos, intrinsic religiousness was a stronger predictor of spiritual well-being and of hope. Religiousness may be an important variable affecting both the spiritual and the psychological health of women with breast cancer; this study also suggests cultural differences.