"Let Go, Let God": A Qualitative Study Exploring Cancer Patients' Spirituality and Its Place in the Medical Setting

The Role of Spirituality for Coping with Cancer and the Spiritual Care Needs of Women with Breast Cancer and their Family Caregivers in Turkey: A Qualitative Study

This study aims at determining the spiritual care needs of women with breast cancer and their family caregivers, as well as the effect of spirituality on coping with this illness. This qualitative research utilized a phenomenological design. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with breast cancer women and family caregivers. A total of 26 participants (13 women with breast cancer and 13 family caregivers) were involved. The data were examined using inductive thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified: "Being diagnosed with breast cancer; its emotional and life-related impacts;" "Spirituality in fighting with cancer;" and "Caring period and needs". The results showed that the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer have multifaceted effects on women and their family caregivers. Spirituality was found to be an essential factor in coping with cancer for women with cancer and their family caregivers. In addition, the results showed that women and family caregivers have some unmet spiritual care needs.

Patients' Experiences of Cancer Pain: A Descriptive Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the cancer pain experiences of Iranian patients.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive design was used.

METHODS

This qualitative descriptive study was performed on 17 participants between December 2020 and September 2021. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed by Graneheim and Lundman's content analysis method.

RESULTS

Three main categories emerged in relation to patients' experiences of cancer pain. Categories included (1) characteristics of cancer pain, (2) pain self-management strategies, and (3) influence of pain on patient and her/his family.

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients believe that pain is God's will, and family members, doctors, and nurses can assist patients cope with pain by respecting this belief and supporting spiritual healing. Strengthening pain management strategies, expanding social networks, and convincing the patients that they are not an interruption to their families can all help patients maintain their fighting spirit and pain tolerance. To provide holistic care, healthcare providers, particularly nurses, should consider the physical, sociocultural, and spiritual aspects of cancer pain.

"I Am Grateful for Every Day I Live": A Qualitative Study on the Spiritual Experiences of Women With Gynecological Cancer

BACKGROUND

Considering the life-threatening nature of gynecological cancers, spirituality and religious beliefs may play a key role in the experiences of the patients during the disease process and their coping.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to understand the spiritual experiences of Muslim women with gynecological cancer during the disease process.

METHODS

A qualitative, phenomenological, and hermeneutic approach was followed in the research. Fourteen women with gynecological cancer in Turkey were interviewed individually. The thematic analysis approach of Braun and Clarke was used to evaluate the data.

RESULTS

The results of the data analysis revealed 3 themes (consisting of 9 subthemes): (1) reaction to cancer: spiritual distress (fear of death, perception of punishment, fear of obscurity and uncertainty, and being a cause of spiritual distress in the family); (2) reaction to cancer: spiritual well-being (accepting whatever may come from Allah, strengthening the faith in Allah); and (3) spiritual resources for coping with cancer (religious practices, hobbies and complementary practices, and family support).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study shed light on the cases that may cause spiritual distress and improve the spiritual well-being that is experienced by Muslim women with gynecological cancer during the disease process; they also reveal that religion has an effect on the experiences during the cancer process and the coping methods.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Healthcare professionals who care for Muslim women with gynecological cancer should plan spiritual care by being aware of the cultural characteristics and religious beliefs of these women and their families.

The Role of Islamic Beliefs in Facilitating Acceptance of Cancer Diagnosis

Although survival rates for patients with cancer have increased, this disease continues to affect couples significantly. Religion and culture seem to be part of the therapeutic process for people with cancer. Despite the abundance of the Arab Muslim community in Western countries, there is a lack of documented data on Arab Muslim couples experiencing cancer. A simple exploratory qualitative study was conducted through semi-structured interviews on six married couples (n = 12) identifying with the Arab Muslim culture and being affected by cancer. An iterative data analysis was performed. Results were reported under the following themes: accepting illness through coping strategies provided by Muslim religious beliefs and practices, experiencing problems with the expression of needs and feelings within the couple, experiencing closeness within the family, and experiencing illness in the hospital setting as Muslims. Our results show that Islamic beliefs can facilitate acceptance of a cancer diagnosis. It is also noted that religion seems to unite spouses in supporting each other and maintaining hope in a difficult context. Communication issues may persist between a couple due to stressors related to cancer. The results of this study could raise awareness about the importance of exploring religious and spiritual beliefs when supporting couples affected by cancer.

Experiences of Muslim women living with gynaecological cancer and family caregivers

BACKGROUND

Cancer has a large impact on the life of the diagnosed person and also their caregivers, who are typically family members. The impact of cancer on a Muslim woman and her caregivers has not been well researched because of cultural and social constraits.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to explorel the experiences of Muslim women with gynaecological cancers and their family caregivers.

METHODS

A descriptive phenomenological approach was adopted. A convenience sample was used in the research.

FINDINGS

The study findings were grouped into four major themes: the initial reaction to a cancer diagnosis from women and their caregivers, difficulties the patient and caregiver experienced (physiological, psychological, social and sexual), coping with cancer and expectations that caregivers and patients have of the institution and the health personnel. It was determined that during this disease and treatment, both the patients and caregivers faced difficulties, which can be categorised as physiological, psychological, social and sexual. Muslim women with gynaecological cancer frequently used coping behaviours, such as worshiping and believing that illness and healing come from God during the illness process.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients and their family caregivers lived through various difficulties. Healthcare professionals need to consider the expectations of patients with gynecological cancer, alongside those of their family caregivers. Nurses can help Muslim patients and their families cope with the problems they experience by being aware of the positive coping methods of Muslim cancer patients and their caregivers. Nurses should consider individuals' religious beliefs and cultural differences while giving care.

Spiritual and religious perspectives in persons with visual impairment due to age-related macular degeneration

Introduction

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the global leading causes of severe vision loss. Patients suffering from AMD face complex spiritual and mental challenges that have an impact on the course of their disease, their quality of life, and their relationship with their surroundings.

Methods

A survey was carried out using a 21-item questionnaire between August 2020 and June 2021 among 117 patients from different countries to investigate how spirituality, religion, and their way of practicing them affected the experiences and daily lives of patients suffering from AMD, and whether it helped them cope with the disease.

Results

Our study concluded that spirituality and religion are important factors that facilitate patients' ability to cope with a progressive degenerative disease such as AMD. Patients who are religious are more at peace with having AMD. Practices that contribute to patients being at peace in accepting the disease are regular prayers or meditation. Spirituality and religion are important components that promote a healthier and happier emotional state and mental wellbeing. In particular, by believing that death is not the end, patients feel more hopeful, which helps in their adjustment to a seemingly hopeless health condition. A significant number of AMD patients desire to talk about God with the medical staff. The profile of such patients could be those believing in a higher power, praying often, participating in religious services, being worried about the loss of vision, and needing assistance in daily life.

Discussion

An interdisciplinary and multidimensional team of medical health professionals including mental health workers and chaplains can be of great value in managing persons with AMD.

Religious and Spiritual Implications in Functional Anger

The topic of spirituality has been of interest for many years in the helping professions ( Matise et al., 2018; Pargament, 2011). Another level of interest is how spirituality may be connected to anger that is culturally informed ( Subarimaniam et al., 2020). This writing approaches the topic of functional anger as impacted by the religious and spiritual beliefs with case vignettes pertinent to students, pastoral counselors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, psychotherapists, and other helping professionals.

Beliefs and Perceptions About Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment-Seeking and Decision-Making Behaviors Among Omani Patients with Cancer: A Single-Center Study

A cancer diagnosis is associated with anxiety and psychological distress. Cultural and societal factors greatly affect the complex process of coping mechanisms and decision making. Omani patients receiving cancer treatment at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Oman were interviewed about their perceptions regarding cancer, treatment, outcome, and decision making. Out of a total of 360 approached, 216 patients consented. The median age was 42 years. The results showed that 60.6% of patients considered cancer diagnosis as a test from God, 13.9% considered it as a result of an evil eye, 40% believed prayers treat cancer. Fifty-six percent of participants wanted to make treatment decisions themselves, while 2.3% preferred their family to make decisions. Our findings suggest that perceptions about cancer in Oman are specific and are associated with religion and sociocultural background.

Spiritual Distress in Patients With Cancer Initiating Chemotherapy: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

To assess spiritual distress in patients with cancer who were initiating chemotherapy.

METHODS

This was a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study. Data collection was conducted between February and June of 2019. The Spiritual Distress Scale (SDS) was administered to 332 patients with cancer.

FINDINGS

Most participants (56.6%) were female, with the mean age at 60.3 years (SD = ±11.73). The mean SDS score was 56.6 (SD = ±13.39), with 30% of the participants reporting moderate and 9.6% reporting high levels of spiritual distress. Younger age (β = -0.687, p = .008) and participants having no religious affiliation were predictors of SDS (β = -8.322, p = .035) in patients with cancer initiating chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the degree of spiritual distress reported, this study provides further evidence to support the need for nurses to assess spirituality in order to provide holistic care inclusive of spiritual domain.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

These results are relevant to clinical practice and indicate a need for nurses to use the clinical reasoning process to assess spiritual distress and to plan nursing interventions aimed at meeting the spiritual needs of patients with cancer who are initiating chemotherapy.

Improving End of Life Cancer Outcomes Through Development and Implementation of a Spiritual Care Advocate Program

BACKGROUND

Explored whether increased support for spiritual concerns between the healthcare team and patients through the provision of a Spiritual Care Advocate (SCA) would improve end of life outcomes in a metastatic cancer population.

DESIGN

Newly diagnosed metastatic cancer patients were recruited at the University of Chicago Medical Center and received spiritual support from a Spiritual Care Advocate during chemotherapy treatments. The final sample consisted of 42 patients (58% of those approached) who completed the baseline survey and had known survival status.

MEASUREMENT

Patients completed pre/post surveys measuring spiritual support and palliative quality of life. Baseline measurements of religious practice and externalizing religious health beliefs were also obtained. Receipt of aggressive EOL care was derived from the electronic medical record.

RESULT

Median age was 61 years, with 48% Black, and predominantly male (62%). Of the 42 patients, 30 (70%) had died by the time of this analysis. Perceived spiritual support from the medical team increased in 47% of those who received non-aggressive EOL care and by 40% in those who received aggressive EOL care (p=0.012). Patient perceptions of spiritual support from the medical community increased from 27% at baseline to 63% (p=0.005) after the SCA intervention. Only 20% of recipients received aggressive treatments at end of life.

CONCLUSION

The SCA model improved the perceived spiritual support between the healthcare team and patients. Although limited by a small sample size, the model was also associated with an improvement in EOL patients' quality of life, spiritual wellbeing, and decreased aggressive EOL care.