The Effect of Religion Intervention on Life Satisfaction and Depression in Elderly with Heart Failure

Islamic Spiritual Care, Depression, and Quality of Life Among Patients With Heart Disease: A Systematic Review

Objectives: This study sought to identify the potential effect of Islamic-Spiritual care and how it is delivered in treating depression and improving the quality of life (QoL) of patients with heart disease. Methods: This systematic review is reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. We searched using relevant keywords through PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Springer Link, and Academic Search Complete. Articles with an experimental or cohort design were included, without date restrictions. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist, and data synthesis used thematic analysis. Results: The analysis included 6 of the 47 identified studies. All studies were conducted in Iran, and a small number had a low risk of bias. The intervention was given through an Islamic teaching strategy, indicating the potential to reduce depression and improve QoL. Moreover, the learning core consists of belief and surrender in God's providence, strengthened meaning and life's purposes, worship, and skills to overcome obstacles. Conclusions: The interventions had the potential to treat depression and improve the QoL. However, a further study considering the risks of bias and involving a larger patient population with other Muslim backgrounds is necessary.

The effect of spiritual support on life satisfaction in Iranian patients with gastrointestinal cancer

Background

The diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal cancer not only impose significant physical challenges but also deeply affect patients emotionally and psychologically, significantly influencing their overall quality of life. Among the various factors that can positively impact life satisfaction in individuals facing gastrointestinal cancer, spirituality emerges as a crucial aspect. This study aimed to determine the effect of a spiritual intervention on life satisfaction in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study was conducted with two groups of 85 gastrointestinal cancer patients from two major hospitals in Tehran. The intervention group received spiritual support through social media for six sessions over three weeks to learn how to effectively improve their spiritual state. The control group received routine medical visits and care. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was used before and after the spiritual support in both the intervention and control groups. The research was approved by the institutional ethics committee.

Results

In the pre-test stage, there was no significant difference in average life satisfaction between the intervention and control groups (t = 1.887, d = 0.30, p > 0.05). However, positive changes occurred in the post-test stage. Notably, the disparity in average life satisfaction between the intervention and control groups was significant in the post-test stage (t = 13.118, d = 0.95, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the result showed that the changes in life satisfaction in the intervention group were statistically significant (t = 11.854, d = 0.84, p < 0.001). Changes in life satisfaction in the control group were not statistically significant in the pre-test stage compared to the post-test stage (t = 1.113, d = 0.10, p > 0.05).

Conclusion

The results can guide health care providers in dealing with the problems of cancer patients. Assessing patients' spiritual needs and empowering them to promote their spiritual recovery and find meaning in their suffering can lead to improved quality of life and satisfaction with holistic care.

The impact of spiritual care on the psychological health and quality of life of adults with heart failure: a systematic review of randomized trials

Background

Heart failure (HF) brings not only physical pain but also psychological distress. This systematic review investigated the influence of spiritual care on the psychological well-being and quality of life in adults with HF.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines, searching seven electronic databases for relevant randomized controlled studies without language or temporal restrictions. The studies were assessed for quality using the Cochrane Bias Risk tool.

Results

A total of 13 studies (882 participants) were reviewed, investigating interventions such as religion, meditation, mental health, cognitive interventions, and spiritual support. Key factors influencing the effectiveness of spiritual care implementation included integration into routine care, respect for diversity, patient engagement, intervention quality, and alignment with patient beliefs. The majority of the studies indicated that spiritual care has a potentially beneficial impact on the mental health and quality of life of patients with HF.

Conclusion

The findings provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals, highlighting the importance of adopting a spiritual care approach to healthcare for this population.

Impact of spirituality on elderly people's quality of life and life satisfaction after acute myocardial infarction: Iranian hospital-based study

BACKGROUND

As people age, survival after a heart attack can affect their quality of life and lead to a decrease in life satisfaction. After a myocardial infarction, elderly patients may experience physical, psychological, emotional and social changes that affect their thoughts and behaviour in relation to spirituality.

AIMS

To investigate the relationship between spiritual well-being and other sociodemographic and medical history-related factors on quality of life and life satisfaction among elderly people after myocardial infarction.

METHOD

In a census-based cross-sectional study conducted at the Imam Reza Hospital in Amol, Iran, from May 2020 to May 2021, data on sociodemographics, medical history, subjective well-being, life satisfaction and quality of life were collected from 502 participants who were referred at the heart clinic.

RESULTS

The findings showed that spiritual well-being dimensions (religious well-being, [self-assessment of one's relationship with God], and existential well-being, [self-assessment of one's sense of purpose in life and life satisfaction]) were not significantly associated with life satisfaction, but a high perception of both dimensions of spiritual well-being were associated with higher self-reported quality of life. A history of past-year hospital admission and cardiopulmonary resuscitation were significant predictors of life satisfaction, and educational level was a predictor of quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

The study found no significant association between spiritual well-being and life satisfaction among elderly people following myocardial infarction. This finding might have been influenced by the physical and emotional challenges experienced by the participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further studies are needed to confirm this relationship.

Spirituality and heart failure: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Heart failure (HF) is a frequent chronic disease with disturbing symptoms and complex treatments, associated with depression and lower quality of life. Some studies have shown that spirituality and religiosity may be relevant in these patients. We aimed to systematically review the medical literature on spirituality and religiosity in patients with HF.

METHODS

Major databases for studies investigating the effect of spirituality and religiosity in people affected by HF were searched from inception until 26th April 2023. Studies with clear definition of spirituality or religiosity, validated diagnosis of HF, and reporting outcomes of interest (i.e., incidence of mortality, cardiovascular outcomes, and quality of life) were included.

RESULTS

Among 810 non-duplicate records, we screened the full texts of 25 works. After excluding 18 studies, we included 7 studies (3 observational and 4 interventional) comprising 1234 HF patients followed up over a median of 3 months. Definitions of spirituality and religiosity were heterogeneous among the studies. The intervention studies showed improvements in quality-of-life parameters, some cardiovascular outcomes, or mortality, and the observational studies showed significant associations with these outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the extreme heterogeneity of the populations included, of the definition of spirituality and religiosity, and of the interventions in the few studies that included it, all the studies reported some positive associations with the outcomes examined. Spirituality/religiosity is an aspect not generally taken into account in the usual practice of medicine and can potentially contribute to improving the conditions of patients with HF, a chronic disease with unfavorable prognosis.

The Effect of Religious-Spiritual Education and Care on the Life Quality of Iranian Elderly: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Aging causes the reduction in physical and physiological strength and an increase in the odds of affliction with chronic physical and mental diseases ultimately affecting the quality of life (QoL). So far, several primary studies have been conducted on the impact of religious-spiritual education and care on the QoL of the elderly. However, to the best of our knowledge, a study that compiles and represents these findings in a published paper is lacking. Therefore, the current study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effect of religious-spiritual education and care on the QoL of the elderly population. To access studies related to the aim of the study, SID, MagIran, IranMedex, IranDoc, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched. The search was done using relevant and validated keywords with MeSH/Emtree without time limitations until December 2021. The qualitative appraisal of the papers was done using the JBI checklist. To estimate the heterogeneity of studies, I2 index was used, and to combine the data and carry out a meta-analysis, Random Effects model was used. In the primary research, 1065 studies were found. The omission of the redundant cases led to a total number of 12 papers with a sample size of 317 in the intervention group and 321 in the control to be included in the meta-analysis. After the intervention, the mean score of QoL showed a significant increase by 1.42 ± 0.31 with a Confidence Interval of 95% (P<0.001). Meta-regression results showed that the increase in the year of conducting the study, and the number of intervention sessions, that the standardized mean difference had a decreasing trend, and that with the increase in the average age of the elderly, there was a rising trend (P<0.001). Therefore, it seems that the application of religious-spiritual education and care could be part of a program to improve the QoL of the elderly.

Psychosocial interventions and mental health in patients with cardiovascular diseases living in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Mental health issues are closely associated with symptoms and outcomes of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The magnitude of this problem is alarmingly high in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions on mental health outcomes among patients with CVDs living in LMICs.

METHODS

This review includes Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies conducted on adult patients who had a CVD and/or hypertension and located in LMICs. Studies published in English between 2010 and March, 2021 and which primarily reported mental health outcomes of resilience, self-efficacy, Quality of life (QoL), depression and anxiety were included. Studies were screened, extracted and critically appraised by two independent reviewers. Meta-analysis was conducted for RCTs and narrative summaries were conducted for all other studies. PRISMA guidelines were followed for reporting review methods and findings.

RESULTS

109 studies included in this review reported educational, nursing, behavioral and psychological, spiritual, relaxation, and mindfulness interventions provided by multidisciplinary teams. 14 studies reported self-efficacy, 70 reported QoL, 62 reported one or both of anxiety and depression, and no study was found that reported resilience as an outcome in this population. Pooled analysis showed improvements in self-efficacy and QoL outcomes. The majority of studies showed improvement in outcomes, though the quality of the included studies varied.

CONCLUSION

Patients with CVDs in LMICs may experience improved mental health through the use of diverse psychosocial interventions. Evaluations are needed to investigate whether the impact of interventions on mental health are sustained over time.

The Influence of Guozhuang Dance on the Subjective Well-Being of Older Adults: The Chain Mediating Effect of Group Identity and Self-Efficacy

BACKGROUND

In the context of the gradually accelerating aging of the population, the subjective well-being of older adults has received extensive research attention. Guozhuang Dance is a collective aerobic exercise that plays an important role in the physical activity of older Chinese adults. Studying the intrinsic relationship between Guozhuang Dance and the subjective well-being can help improve the quality of life and well-being of older adults in their later years. This study was conducted in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China, where many older adults practice Guozhuang Dance. Previous studies pointed out that group identity and self-efficacy can influence well-being in a collective exercise.

METHODS

For this study, we recruited 520 adults (male = 228, female = 292) aged 65 years or older from Chengdu who participated in Guozhuang Dance, to conduct a survey to understand the effect of this exercise on their subjective well-being. The Guozhuang Dance exercise scale, the group identity scale, the self-efficacy scale, and the subjective well-being scale were used in the study. We used SPSS for the descriptive statistical analysis, and AMOS for the structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

The results of the study show that Guozhuang Dance has a positive effect on enhancing the subjective well-being of older adults and can increase the subjective well-being through the chain mediating effect of group identity and self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest that effective measures should be taken to encourage older adults to participate in Guozhuang Dance, in order to enhance their subjective well-being.

A training programme for medical students in providing spiritual care to people with advanced diseases and their loved ones: A case study from the Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland

Purpose

This article presents the first programme on spiritual care particularly for people with advanced life-limiting illness including heart failure, lung disease or cancer for medical students in Poland implemented at the Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.

Methods and materials

Several steps were identified for the development of the first programme on spirituality for medical students at the Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz including preliminary work on the content of the programme, agreement on key concepts, terms, and definitions; consultations with teachers and review of the literature.

Results

The first Polish spiritual curriculum for medical students was implemented. The spirituality curriculum will potentially contribute to better care for the people with advanced illnesses such as heart failure, chronic lung disease or cancer and improve the quality of relationships between professionals and patients.

Conclusion

The article presents the content of the program, the expected learning objectives and ascribed teaching methods, along with the preliminary evaluation made by students.

Community-based mental health and well-being interventions for older adults in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Mental health support is often scarce in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), with mental health stigmatised. Older adults are some of the most vulnerable members of society and may require specific types of mental health support. The aim of this mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis was to explore the types, components, and efficacy of psychosocial community-based mental health interventions for older adults (aged 60 + years) residing in LMIC.

METHODS

Six databases were searched in August 2021. Studies published since 2000 were included if they collected primary quantitative or qualitative data on community-based interventions for improving mental health for older adults residing in LMICs, focusing on improving mental health and well-being outcomes. Full texts were screened by two researchers.

RESULTS

From 24,378 citations identified, 40 studies met eligibility criteria. Across 12 countries, interventions were categorised into those focusing on (1) Established forms of psychological therapy; (2) Exercise; (3) Education; (4) Social engagement; (5) Multi-component. Most interventions were effective in reducing levels of depression, anxiety, and improving well-being, including reminiscence therapy, different types of socialising, and breathing and laughter exercises. Some interventions reported no benefits and those that did at times failed to report continued benefits at follow-up. Given the variations in intervention type and delivery, cultures, and outcome measures used, underpinning factors of intervention success or failure were difficult to establish.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychosocial interventions for older adults in LMIC need to be adapted to local contexts depending on culture and population needs. Existing interventions and their components can be used as a foundation to produce adapted and multi-component interventions, to tackle growing and inadequate mental health care provision in LMIC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO [CRD42021271404].

Association Between Pain with Disability in the Elderly with Dementia

Background: Elderly is one of the most important and critical periods of life, and paying attention to the issues and problems of this period is very important. Objectives: The present study was performed to investigate the relationship between pain and disability in the elderly with dementia in 2021. Methods: In the present cross-sectional descriptive study, 120 elderly people with dementia were included. The instruments used in the four sections were the demographic profile form, the P-APS pain observation tool, and Stanford Disability Questionnaire questions. the researcher identified the elderly with dementia by available sampling method and if the elderly with dementia were eligible and written informed consent was obtained from the elderly and their primary caregivers, the questionnaires were completed. Conditions of pain and disability were described by descriptive tests, and then the relationship between pain and the degree of disability in patients was analyzed by statistical analysis using SPSS16 software. Results: The results showed mean (SD) pain score was 14.45 (4.23), disability score was 12.75 (3.09), and fall score was 37 (30.8%). According to pain score status classification, 4 (3.3%) of the elderly had no pain, 8 (6.7%) had mild pain, 27 (22.5%) had moderate pain, and 81 (67.5%) had severe pain. There is a significant relationship between pain status and disability in the elderly with dementia. By increase in pain, the patients had more disability (P = 0.000, F = 79.971). Conclusions: As the pain increased, the disability of the elderly with dementia decreased. For this reason, preventive interventions are explained in this field.

Effectiveness of Spiritual Counseling on the Enhancement of Hope in Iranian Muslim Patients with Myocardial Infarction: A Two-Month Follow-Up

Hope is the most important source of coping in patients who have experienced acute cardiac events, and despair is considered an important cause of discontinued treatment and a threat to patients' mental health. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of spiritual counseling on hope in patients with myocardial infarction over a two-month period. Fifty-six Iranian Muslim patients with myocardial infarction participated; participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n = 28) or the control group (n = 28). The experiment group received three sessions of group spiritual counseling. The patients' hope was measured before intervention and immediately, one month, and two months after the intervention. The results indicated that no significant difference in hope was present between the intervention and control groups at baseline (Z = - 2.56, effect size = 0.75, P = 0.1). Significance between-group differences favoring the intervention group, however, were noted immediately post-intervention (Z = - 2.72, effect size = 0.91, P = 0.007), one month afterward (Z =  - 6.22, effect size = 3.14, P < 0.001), and two months afterward (Z = - 6.10, effect size = 2.65, P < 0.001). Hope significantly improved in the intervention group during the study. Utilizing spiritual counseling as an effective non-aggressive form of treatment can improve hope among patients with myocardial infarction.

Palliative Care for People Living With Heart Disease-Does Sex Make a Difference?

The distribution of individual heart disease differs among women and men and, parallel to this, among particular age groups. Women are usually affected by cardiovascular disease at an older age than men, and as the prevalence of comorbidities (like diabetes or chronic pain syndromes) grows with age, women suffer from a higher number of symptoms (such as pain and breathlessness) than men. Women live longer, and after a husband or partner's death, they suffer from a stronger sense of loneliness, are more dependent on institutionalized care and have more unaddressed needs than men. Heart failure (HF) is a common end-stage pathway of many cardiovascular diseases and causes substantial symptom burden and suffering despite optimal cardiologic treatment. Modern, personalized medicine makes every effort, including close cooperation between disciplines, to alleviate them as efficiently as possible. Palliative Care (PC) interventions include symptom management, psychosocial and spiritual support. In complex situations they are provided by a specialized multiprofessional team, but usually the application of PC principles by the healthcare team responsible for the person is sufficient. PC should be involved in usual care to improve the quality of life of patients and their relatives as soon as appropriate needs emerge. Even at less advanced stages of disease, PC is an additional layer of support added to disease modifying management, not only at the end-of-life. The relatively scarce data suggest sex-specific differences in symptom pathophysiology, distribution and the requisite management needed for their successful alleviation. This paper summarizes the sex-related differences in PC needs and in the wide range of interventions (from medical treatment to spiritual support) that can be considered to optimally address them.

The Effect of Spirituality Intervention on the Anxiety Parents of Hospitalized Newborns in a Neonatal Department

Admission leads to many problems in the family, one of the most important of which is Stress parents. Therefore, specify The Effect of Religious Intervention on the Anxiety parents of hospitalized newborns in a neonatal department. The study was a semi-experimental study with experimental and control groups and before and after the intervention, Anxiety and care pressure questionnaires were given to parents. The religion intervention in the 8 Session parents of hospitalized newborns in a neonatal. Data were analyzed by SPSS16 and descriptive and analytical tests. The study indicated that religion has an effective role in enhancing and bettering stress of parents. Thus, it is suggested that a cleric be present in the section for religious intervention. Moreover, it is suggested that religious interventions should be done by nurses as a group of people with a close relationship with the patients and their parents.

Psychometrics Properties of the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale in Slovak Elderly

The aim of this study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the daily spiritual experience scale (DSES) in Slovak elderly (n = 250). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.98. Reliability tests confirmed excellent internal consistency. Principal component analysis produced one-factor model which explained 75.86% of the total variance of the Slovak DSES. A higher frequency of spiritual experiences was associated with higher level of spirituality, meaning in life, religion/spiritual affiliation, and lower level of depression which justified construct validity of the DSES. Women stated greater spiritual experiences than men. Findings confirmed that the Slovak DSES is valid and reliable.