Religious/spiritual coping and spiritual distress in people with cancer

Determinants of Spiritual Well-Being That Impact Breast Cancer Patients' Quality of Life

Background: Breast cancer affects patients' quality of life, which is influenced by the body's functional abilities and the patients' spiritual well-being. Currently, there is no research on the spiritual determinants that affect quality of life in the Indonesian context. Purpose: This research analyzes the determinants of spiritual well-being in terms of breast cancer patients' quality of life using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 112 participants who were selected using purposive sampling. Women with breast cancer who had a Palliative Performance Scale version 2 score of 60 and who were able to read and write were included. The instruments used included the RAND SF-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire, which was modified to the Indonesian context and was used to survey breast cancer patients (Cronbach coefficient of >0.90), in addition to the FACIT-Sp (Cronbach coefficient of 0.768). The multivariate data were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: The determinants of spiritual well-being for the participants' quality of life included meaning (odds ratio of 0.436) and peace (odds ratio of 0.303). Conclusion: The meaning and peace domains of spiritual well-being significantly affect breast cancer patients' quality of life.

Investigating spiritual care perceptions and religious coping methods among the relatives of terminally ill patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: the case of Turkey

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey and around the world has had a profound impact on the families of terminally ill patients. In this challenging period, investigating the spiritual care perceptions and religious coping methods of patients' relatives is an essential step towards understanding the experiences in this process with the additional challenges brought by the pandemic and developing appropriate support services. This study aims to determine the spiritual care perceptions and the use of religious coping methods among the relatives of terminally ill patients in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

The sample of this descriptive and correlational study consisted of the relatives of terminally ill patients (n = 147) who were receiving treatment in the Anesthesiology and Reanimation Intensive Care Unit of a state hospital in Turkey. Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale and the Religious Coping Scale to them using face-to-face interviews. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman's correlation analysis were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 38.84 ± 11.19 years. Also, 63.3% of them were employed. The participant's total score on the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale was 57.16 ± 6.41, and it was determined that the participants' level of perception of spirituality and spiritual care concepts was close to good. When the Religious Coping Scale scores of the participants were examined, it was found that both Positive Religious Coping levels (23.11 ± 2.34) and Negative Religious Coping levels (9.48 ± 1.47) were close to high. There was no correlation between the scores of RCOPE and SSCRS (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

As a result, it was determined that the level of perception of spirituality and spiritual care concepts of the relatives of terminally ill patients during the COVID-19 pandemic was close to sound, and their Positive Religious Coping levels were high. Epidemics are a reality of the world, and it is essential to learn lessons from this process and take precautions for the future. We offer a perspective to realize the coping power of religion and spirituality, which are integral parts of life. The needs of terminally ill patients' relatives, a sensitive group, become visible.

The Meaning of Life and Religious Coping in the Fight Against Cancer: A Study with Oncology Patients in Brazil in Light of Viktor Frankl's Theory

This study aimed to describe the perception of the meaning of life and coping strategies of 19 patients with cancer at a public hospital in Brazil. This is descriptive and qualitative research that used Amedeo Giorgi's phenomenological model, and the interpretation was performed in light of Viktor Frankl's theory. Two themes have emerged: (1) the perception of the meaning of life in the experience with cancer and (2) religious coping to fight the disease. This study showed that revealing the meaning of life in the cancer experience contributes to better treatment compliance, a more favorable view of the future and better quality of life. On the other hand, religious coping is the strategy most used by patients who believe in God, showing a greater state of psychological and spiritual well-being.

Effect of mindfulness-based therapy on spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients: a randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND

Spiritual well-being is directly related to the quality of life in breast cancer patients. Mindfulness-based therapy interventions can decrease distress levels in women with breast cancer, while improving spiritual well-being.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of mindfulness-based therapy on spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients.

METHODS

This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials. A total of 70 participants were enrolled from September, 2021 to July, 2022. Primary outcome included spiritual well-being, and secondary outcome included quality of life. The data were collected using the Patient Sociodemographic and Medical Data Form and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (SpWB) (FACIT-Sp Version 4). In the statistical analysis, the independent sample t test and paired sample t test were used to examine the intervention effect on primary and secondary outcomes, according to numbers, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and conformity to normal distribution.

RESULTS

The average age of the therapy group was 42.22 ± 6.86, and the control group was 41.64 ±  6.04. The average score of meaning (12.25 ± 3.03), overall score average of the spiritual well-being (31.56 ± 8.90), the emotional well-being (13.46 ± 5.78) and physical well-being (16.71 ± 5.59), and overall average score of the quality of life (66.98 ± 17.72) of the therapy group was statistically significantly higher (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The mindfulness-based training may enhance the spiritual well-being and quality of life of breast cancer patients. Nurses should be encouraged for mindfulness-based training sessions to make it a widespread practice, and to regularly evaluate the results.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT05057078 (date: September 27, 2021).

Influence of Spirituality and Religiosity of Cancer Patients on Their Quality of Life

Taking into account the spiritual and religious dimensions is important when it comes to taking care of patients with cancer and their quality of life. The study aimed to show the degree of dependence between the level of spirituality/religiosity of people who have just been diagnosed with cancer or have been diagnosed with cancer in the past and their quality of life. The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES), the EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life and EORTC QLQ-FA12 fatigue-related quality of life questionnaire were used. One hundred one respondents of the Catholic faith obtained 65.22 points in DSES; 49.84 points on the QLQ-C30 functioning scale, 58.75 points on the physical scale, 60.73 points on the social scale, 50.17 points on the emotional scale, 64.69 points on the cognitive scale, 55.45 points in fulfilling one’s role and 28.38 points in financial impact. In the QLQ-FA12, respondents obtained 45.94 points on the physical scale, 47.53 points on the emotional scale and 30.69 points on the cognitive scale. In the respondents’ opinion, fatigue was the disease that reduced their quality of life the most—on average, 51.27 points. The oncological patients were characterized by a high level of spirituality/religiosity and an average level of quality of life. Spirituality/religiosity had a positive relationship with physical, emotional and social functioning. On the other hand, it was negatively associated with disease symptoms, such as pain or emotional and physical fatigue. Future research is needed in the context of the quality of life, focused on the spiritual and religious sphere of functioning of cancer patients, conducted in various cultural, ethnic and religious circles, which can serve to improve the education of nurses and develop their spiritual competences.

Correlations among spiritual care competence, spiritual care perceptions and spiritual health of Chinese nurses: A cross-sectional correlational study

BACKGROUND

The significance of spiritual care competence among nurses has been emphasized across countries and cultures in many studies. However, there were few studies on correlations among spiritual care competence, spiritual care perceptions, and spiritual health of nurses in China.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate spiritual care competence, spiritual care perceptions, and spiritual health, and examine the correlations among spiritual care competence, spiritual care perceptions and spiritual health, and the mediating role of spiritual health between other two variables of Chinese nurses.

METHODS

A cross-sectional and correlational design was implemented, and the STROBE Checklist was used to report the study. A convenience sample of 2,181 nurses were selected from 17 hospitals in 3 provinces, China. Participants provided data on sociodemographic by completing the Chinese Version of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale, the Chinese Version of the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale, and the Spiritual Health Scale Short Form. Descriptive statistics, univariate, multiple linear regression, and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze data.

RESULTS

The total scores of spiritual care competence, spiritual care perceptions, and spiritual health were 58.25 ± 16.21, 144.49 ± 16.87, and 84.88 ± 10.57, respectively, which both were moderate. Spiritual care competence was positively correlated with spiritual care perceptions (r = 0.653, p < 0.01) and spiritual health (r = 0.587, p < 0.01). And spiritual health played a mediating role between the other two variables (accounting for 35.6%).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

The spiritual care competence, spiritual care perceptions, and spiritual health of Chinese nurses need to be improved. It is recommended that nursing managers should pay attention to spiritual care education of nurses, and improve spiritual care perceptions and spiritual health in multiple ways, so as to improve their spiritual care competence and to maximize the satisfy spiritual care needs of patients in China.

PUNÇÃO VENOSA PERIFÉRICA E CONTRASTE NOS EXAMES RADIOLÓGICOS: REPRESENTAÇÕES SOCIAIS ANCORADAS NOS ESTRESSORES DE NEUMAN

RESUMO Objetivo: discutir as representações sociais sobre a punção venosa periférica e o uso de meios de contraste de pessoas submetidas a exames radiológicos, referenciando-se no conceito de estressores. Método: pesquisa qualitativa, delineada na abordagem processual da Teoria das Representações Sociais, realizada com 57 usuários submetidos a exames de Tomografia Computadorizada e Ressonância Magnética em um Hospital Universitário de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Realizaram-se entrevistas individuais em profundidade desencadeadas por questões norteadoras em janeiro de 2019. Os conteúdos das entrevistas foram transcritos na íntegra e realizou-se análise de conteúdo em três etapas (pré-análise, exploração do material e tratamento/interpretação dos resultados). A análise temático-categorial estabelecida a partir das dimensões e origens representacionais possibilitou a discussão dos achados ancorada nos conceitos de estressores, permitindo a identificação de três categorias baseadas nos estressores intrapessoais, interpessoais e transpessoais. Resultados: a punção e o exame foram representados pelas vivências individuais, grupais, com profissionais e ambiente terapêutico, classificados nas categorias: itinerário e concepções sobre punção e exames contrastados, com base em estressores intrapessoais; relações compartilhadas sobre a punção e o exame, fundamentadas em estressores interpessoais e vivências no ambiente terapêutico de um serviço de diagnóstico por imagem, a partir dos estressores transpessoais. Conclusão: as representações sociais foram significadas por exame, resultado e impactos na vida, retratando estressores alicerçados em imagens/sentimentos de dúvida e comportamentos positivos justificados racionalmente, que explicitam respostas humanas a conteúdos reificados, possibilitando a reestruturação do cuidado em saúde e em enfermagem.

PERIPHERAL VENOUS PUNCTURE AND CONTRAST IN RADIOLOGICAL EXAMS: SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS ANCHORED IN NEUMAN’S STRESSORS

ABSTRACT Objective: to discuss the social representations about peripheral venipuncture and the use of contrast media of people submitted to radiological examinations, referring to stressor concept. Method: this is qualitative research, outlined in the procedural approach of the Social Representation Theory, carried out with 57 users undergoing computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging at a university hospital in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. In-depth individual interviews triggered by guiding questions were conducted in January 2019. The contents of the interviews were fully transcribed and content analysis was carried out in three stages (pre-analysis, material exploration and treatment/interpretation of results). We established thematic analysis based on the dimensions and representational origins, which made it possible to discuss the findings anchored in the concepts of stressors, allowing the identification of three categories based on intrapersonal, interpersonal and transpersonal stressors. Results: puncture and examination were represented by individual, group, professional and therapeutic environment experiences, classified into the following categories: itinerary and conceptions on puncture and contrasted examinations based on intrapersonal stressors; shared relationships on puncture and examination, based on interpersonal stressors; and experiences in the therapeutic environment of a diagnostic imaging service, based on transpersonal stressors. Conclusion: the social representations were signified by examination, results and impacts on life, portraying stressors based on images/feelings of doubt and positive behaviors rationally justified, which explain human responses to reified content, enabling the restructuring of health care and nursing.

Religiosity and spirituality in mental health: nurses' training, knowledge and practices

OBJECTIVE

to analyze nurses' training, knowledge and practices in the religiosity/spirituality interface in the context of Psychosocial Care Centers.

METHODS

a descriptive, exploratory, qualitative study, carried out in a metropolitan region of Ceará. Four nurses were interviewed, and the data were examined using the content analysis technique.

RESULTS

four categories emerged from analysis: Deficit in teaching religious and spiritual practices in higher education in nursing; View of the concept of religiosity and spirituality; Religiousness and spirituality as an integral part of the person; Reception of religious and spiritual practices as an aid to treatment.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

a deficit in nursing undergraduate teaching was identified concerning religiosity and spirituality. However, the interviewed professionals understand the importance of religious and spiritual dimensions in the therapeutic process, even though they do not accurately differentiate the concepts.

Religious coping and hope in chronic kidney disease: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of prayer on religious/spiritual coping and on the hope of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis.

METHOD

Randomized, controlled and blinded clinical trial, carried out in a dialysis unit, with a total of 62 patients undergoing hemodialysis - 31 participants in intervention group and 31 in the control group. Intercession prayer was applied three times, in alternate weeks, during hemodialysis sessions. Differences between groups in the outcome of the effect of prayer on religious/spiritual coping and hope were analyzed.

RESULTS

Participants used positive coping at high mean scores in both groups (control - 3.62 and intervention - 3.26) and negative coping had little use (control - 1.66 and intervention - 1.47). The use of total coping was between 2.35 and 2.48 in the intervention group (p = 0.015). Hope variables were better in the intervention group: optimism (p = 0.001), short- and long-term plans (p = 0.004), remembering happy moments (p = 0.039) and valuing life (p = 0.050).

CONCLUSION

The use of prayer promotes an increase in religious/spiritual coping and hope. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials: RBR-4pphkf.

Fatigue due to compassion in health professionals and coping strategies: a scoping review

OBJECTIVES

to identify the current state of knowledge on compassion fatigue in the work context of healthcare professionals; and how coping strategies are established in this scenario.

METHOD

a scoping review with search applied to the databases: MEDLINE, LILACS, CINAHL, Scopus. Temporal limit: 2009 to 2019. The data was analyzed and synthesized in narrative form.

RESULTS

thirty articles were selected, synthesized into two categories: a) Health work and compassion fatigue: conceptual analysis, context, and manifestations; b) Coping strategies for compassion fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

this study presented: a descriptive and general panorama about compassion fatigue in healthcare professionals, identifying a greater consolidation of the concept between 2015 and 2018; and some coping strategies. The association between health and spirituality is highlighted as one of the strategies in this scenario, enabling new research to be conducted in view of the importance of the theme in life, health work.

Spirituality and Health in Brazil: A Survey Snapshot of Research Groups

Articles on “Spirituality and Health” have multiplied considerably in Brazil in the last decade. More recently, however, research groups created specifically to investigate this topic have emerged. This study aims to provide an overview of the field by means of a survey in the Directory of Research Groups in Brazil. Thirty-three groups were initially identified, of which 16 were selected for analysis and placed into two categories: “established” groups and lines of research, and “in-process” groups and lines of research. The survey made it possible to identify postgraduate programs that develop studies on this theme, the main researchers, and the potentials and challenges of this research field in Brazil. The results also indicate that “Spirituality and Health” is a fundamentally interdisciplinary field of research that is expanding and has gained greater legitimacy in the scientific community in the last four years. The main challenges to and potentials for advancement of knowledge are the need for theoretical and methodological development to support research, educational improvement in spiritual care, development of a critical and conscious reflection on the political implications of the field (especially due to the religious diversity in the Brazilian cultural context), and the role of spirituality/religiosity in public health promotion policies.