Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research1735-906625420200618286290ENMS of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Professor, Medical-Surgical Nursing Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranAssistant Professor, Medical-Surgical Nursing Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran4Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran2020062120200621<p><strong>Background: </strong>Patients with cancer deal with physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and existential</p><p>problems that impact on their quality of life. This study aimed to assess the effect of dignity therapy</p><p>on the quality of life of mentioned patients.</p><p><strong>Materials and Methods: </strong>In this quasi‑experimental</p><p>study, 50 patients with cancer hospitalized in a palliative care center in Tehran, Iran, in 2017‑18 who</p><p>fulfilled inclusion criteria were selected through convenience sampling. The European Organization</p><p>for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life‑C15‑Palliative (EORTC‑QLQ‑C15‑PAl)</p><p>questionnaire was filled by patients before and 2 weeks after dignity therapy. Data were analyzed</p><p>using descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, and standard deviation, as well as inferential</p><p>statistics, including independent t‑test and Chi‑square test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results showed that</p><p>dignity‑therapy led to more improvement in the quality of life of the intervention group (t35,18 = 4.82,</p><p><em>p </em>= 0.001). There was also a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the physical</p><p>functioning scale (t32,96= ‑2.60, <em>p </em>= 0.01) and emotional functioning (t 45,69 = 6.54, <em>p </em>&lt; 0.001). We also</p><p>found that dignity‑therapy led to more improvement in nausea and vomiting (χ2 = 5.71, <em>p </em>= 0.02),</p><p>insomnia (χ2 = 15.78, <em>p </em>&lt; 0.001), appetite (χ2 = 5.09, <em>p </em>= 0.02), and constipation (χ2 = 12.50,</p><p><em>p </em>&lt; 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The application of new approaches like‑dignity therapy could benefit</p><p>patients with cancer in terms of reducing their distress, improving symptom severity, physical and</p><p>emotional functioning, and total quality of life.</p>http://ijnmr.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijnmr/article/view/1723http://ijnmr.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijnmr/article/download/1723/70707295