Abstract: Objective To explore the current situation and influencing factors of anticipatory grief in advanced cancer patients, and to provide reference for the development of targeted nursing measures. Methods With convenient sampling, 225 advanced cancer patients hospitalized from June to September 2020 were selected from a specialized oncology hospital in Tianjin and surveyed by using general information questionnaire, the Anticipatory Grief Scale (AGS), the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), Herth Hope Index and Social Support Rating Scale. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influence factors of anticipatory grief. Results The score of anticipatory grief was 45.69±15.73, which was positively correlated with death anxiety (P<0.05) but negatively with hope level and social support (P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that gender, monthly per capita household income, pain response, death anxiety, hope level, and social support entered the regression equation (P<0.05), accounting for 74.5% of the total variance in anticipatory grief in patients with advanced cancer. Conclusion Anticipatory grief in this group of advanced cancer patients is in a moderate or below level. More attention should go to female patients, those with low income, severe pain, high death anxiety, low hope level, and less social support. Targeted interventions are conducive to alleviating their anticipatory grief.

Key words: advanced cancer, anticipatory grief, influence factor