The Impact of Spiritual Well-Being on the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

The Role of Spirituality and Religion in Improving Quality of Life and Coping Mechanisms in Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

This systematic review aimed to comprehensively evaluate the role of spirituality and religion in the journey of patients with cancer and assess their impact on various aspects of well-being and coping mechanisms.

METHODS

Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar following the PRISMA guidelines. This study focused on the period from 2014 to 2024, the time chosen for the emerging integration of spirituality and religion in cancer treatment. Inclusion criteria targeted studies exploring the impact of spirituality and religion on cancer patients' quality of life, coping, and treatment outcomes.

RESULTS

A comprehensive search initially yielded 2591 papers, of which 1544 were excluded as duplicates, and 113 were further excluded based on the inclusion criteria. Ultimately, 53 papers were selected for review, including 8 prospective cohort, 17 cross-sectional, 16 observational descriptive, and 12 RCT studies. Encompassing 13,590 patients with various cancer types, including breast, gastrointestinal, prostate, brain, and others, the review highlighted spirituality and religion's significant role in improving cancer patients' well-being. Across different cancers, greater spiritual well-being and religious coping were consistently associated with an improved quality of life, reduced distress, enhanced coping, and better treatment outcomes. Interventions such as mindfulness therapy, yoga, and religious coping strategies positively impact patients' spiritual and emotional well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

This review highlights the vital role of spirituality and religion in cancer care. Integrating these aspects into patient plans offers comfort and support throughout treatment. Healthcare providers should prioritize spiritual support to enhance patient well-being and optimize outcomes.

Evaluation of Spiritual Care and Well-Being Levels of Individuals Diagnosed with Lung Cancer in Turkey

This study aimed to assess the spiritual care needs and spiritual well-being levels of lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy (CT). This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 110 patients in the outpatient CT unit of a university hospital. Data were collected using a personal information form, the "Three-Factor Spiritual Well-Being Scale" and the "Spiritual Care Needs Scale." The average age of participants was 62.6 ± 8.0 years. Patients with a university or above education level, civil servants, self-employed individuals, those receiving only CT, and those with less than 5 CT cycles had significantly higher spiritual well-being scores (p < 0.05). Spiritual care needs scale scores were significantly higher for married individuals and those receiving only CT (p < 0.05). In conclusion, both spiritual well-being levels and spiritual care needs were observed to be high among lung cancer patients.

Spiritual well-being, faith, meaning in life, peace, and purpose in life for cancer-related fatigue: systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regressions

BACKGROUND

Cancer-related fatigue is associated with spiritual distress. Spiritual well-being, characterized by the presence of factors such as meaning in life or purpose in life, seems to play an important role in the management of symptoms of cancer. Currently, the number of studies evaluating the association between cancer-related fatigue and spiritual well-being is increasing and no systematic review has been conducted.

AIM

To summarize the association between cancer-related fatigue and spiritual well-being, faith, meaning in life, peace, and purpose in life.

DESIGN

A systematic review with meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

The CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed databases were searched from inception to 9 October 2023. We considered studies evaluating the cross-sectional or longitudinal association between cancer-related fatigue and the spiritual factors above mentioned. The Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies and the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool assessed the methodological quality of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, respectively. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system rated the certainty of evidence. Meta-analyses, meta-regressions, subgroup meta-analyses, and sensitivity analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 13 studies were included and no longitudinal findings were found. One meta-analysis showed that cancer-related fatigue may be negatively correlated with spiritual well-being (r =  - 0.37 (95%CI - 0.44 to - 0.28) p < 0.01). In addition, another meta-analysis found the correlation between cancer-related fatigue and faith was not statistically significant (r =  - 0.25 (95%CI - 0.66 to 0.28) p = 0.36).

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer-related fatigue may be correlated with spiritual well-being. However, the certainty of evidence was very low across the meta-analyzed outcomes.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

A negative correlation was observed between spiritual well-being and cancer-related fatigue.