Correlation between religiosity, spirituality and quality of life in adolescents with and without cleft lip and palate

"God gives me hope!": Hospitalized children's perception of the influence of religion in coping with chronic illness

PURPOSE

The mechanism of the impact of religion on health is still unclear, especially in children and adolescents with chronic illness who live in religious contexts. This study aimed to understand the influence of religion on coping with chronic diseases from the perspective of hospitalized children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer, type 1 diabetes mellitus and cystic fibrosis.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Qualitative descriptive research used photo-elicitation interviews with 35 Brazilian children and adolescents with cancer, type 1 diabetes mellitus and cystic fibrosis, aged between 7 and 17 years old. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyze qualitative data.

RESULTS

Participants were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (14.3%), cancer (57.1%), and type 1 diabetes mellitus (28.6%) and 82.9% had a religious affiliation. Three themes were constructed: finding strength and support in the relationship with the divine, religion as an important source of meaning, and religious practice as a promoter of well-being. These themes demonstrate that children and adolescents themselves perceived their illness as a journey through which their faith grew.

CONCLUSIONS

This research shows the influence of religion on the positive coping of chronic illness, being a source of strength and support from the relationship with the divine, as well as offering a source of meaning, purpose and well-being based on religious practices.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

This study supports clinical practice, based on the recognition of the patient as a religious and spiritualized person who has spiritual beliefs and needs that are capable of influencing treatment.

Adolescents with orofacial clefts: understanding their experiences

OBJECTIVE

To understand the experience of young people with orofacial clefts regarding life as an adolescent.

METHODS

Descriptive, qualitative study, developed in a Brazilian public and tertiary hospital, a reference center in the care of patients with craniofacial anomalies and related syndromes, between February and April 2019. The sample was defined by theoretical saturation. The following inclusion criteria were established: age between ten and 19 years old and having previously operated on orofacial cleft (lip and/or palate). Individuals with fissure associated with syndromes or other malformations were excluded. Data collection was performed through semi-structured interviews, which were audio recorded and transcribed in full. The trigger element was: how has it been for you to experience your adolescence? For the construction of the results, content analysis was used in the thematic modality.

RESULTS

Seventeen adolescents participated. From the speeches, three categories were revealed: interacting socially, feeling supported, and experiencing and facing prejudice.

CONCLUSIONS

The biopsychosocial and conflicting complexity that adolescents with orofacial clefts experience was noticed, as well as the importance of receiving support and establishing modalities of situational coping.

Smoking in adolescents with cleft lip and/or palate: prevalence and associated factors

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence and factors associated with smoking in adolescents with cleft lip and/or palate.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study, developed in a Brazilian public and tertiary hospital between November 2018 and August 2019. Adolescents aged between 12 and 19 years old, previously submitted to cheiloplasty and/or palatoplasty surgeries were included. Data collection was carried out through interviews, guided by questionnaires referring to sociodemographic issues, use and factors associated with smoking. For statistical analysis, Fisher's Exact Test, Chi-square, Student's t test and bivariate logistic regression were used, all with a significance level of 5% (p≤0.05).

RESULTS

102 adolescents participated. The prevalence of smoking was 20.6% (n=21). Having cleft lip and palate was associated with smoking (p=0.012). The bivariate analysis showed that not dating (p=0.001; OR=0.19) and owning a home (p=0.032; OR=0.33) were configured as protective factors for the act of being a smoker, while believing that smoking facilitates interaction with young people or with the group of friends (p=0.043; OR=2.95), having friends who use alcoholic beverages (p=0.002; OR=8.40), having friends who use drugs, except cigarettes (p=0.002; OR=5.33), use alcoholic beverages (p<0.001; OR=10.67) and sexual initiation (p<0.001; OR=7.00), were associated with being a smoker.

CONCLUSIONS

From the knowledge of the profile of adolescents most vulnerable to tobacco use, it is possible to plan and implement educational and preventive actions.

Religiosity, spirituality, and self-esteem in adolescents with cleft lip and palate: a correlational study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the correlation between religiosity, spirituality, and self-esteem in adolescents with uni- and bilateral cleft lip and palate.

METHOD

Correlational and cross-sectional study developed in a public and tertiary hospital in Brazil between July 2018 and February 2019. The sample comprised 100 adolescents divided into two groups: G1 (unilateral cleft, 50 participants) and G2 (bilateral cleft, 50 participants). For data collection, three instruments were used: Sociodemographic Questionnaire, DUREL Religion index, Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Statistical analysis was performed with the tests Chi-squared, Mann-Whitney, Pearson Correlation, and analysis of linear correlation strength, with a 5% significance level (p ≥ 0.05).

RESULTS

Only organizational religiosity was higher in G1 when compared with G2 (p = 0.03). The overall self-esteem was satisfactory for both groups; however, there was no significant difference between them (p = 0.34). No correlation between religiosity and spirituality with self-esteem were identified for G1 and G2.

CONCLUSION

The adolescents with uni- or bilateral cleft lip and palate presented high levels of religiosity, spirituality, and self-esteem. However, no correlation between these variables was identified.

Association between spiritual well-being, quality of life, anxiety and depression in patients with gynaecological cancer in China

The physical and psychological condition of patients with gynaecological cancer has received much attention, but there is little research on spirituality in palliative care. This study aimed to investigate spiritual well-being and its association with quality of life, anxiety and depression in patients with gynaecological cancer. A cross-sectional study was conducted in China in 2019 with 705 patients diagnosed with primary gynaecological cancer. European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life instruments (EORTC QLQ-SWB32 and EORTC QLQ-C30) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used to measure spiritual well-being, quality of life, anxiety and depression. Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine associations between spiritual well-being, quality of life, anxiety and depression. Functioning scales and global health status were positively correlated with spiritual well-being (P < .05). Anxiety and depression were negatively correlated with spiritual well-being (P < .05). Depression (-0.362, P < .001) was the strongest predictor of Existential score. Anxiety (-0.522, P < .001) was the only predictor of Relationship with self. Depression (-0.350, P < .001) and Global health (0.099, P = .011) were the strongest predictors of Relationship with others. Religion (-0.204, P < .001) and Depression (-0.196, P < .001) were the strongest predictors of Relationship with someone or something greater. Global health (0.337, P < .001) and Depression (-0.144, P < .001) were the strongest predictors of Global-SWB. Well spiritual well-being is associated with lower anxiety and depression, and better quality of life. Health providers should provide more spiritual care for non-religious patients and combine spiritual care with psychological counselling to help patients with gynaecological cancer, especially those who have low quality of life or severe symptoms, or experience anxiety or depression.

Spiritual self-care in adolescents: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

One of the existential questions during adolescence is about the ambiguity in spiritual realms. Adolescents at this age not only have the spiritual, psychological, and unique needs, but also have spiritual needs that help them to relax and solve problems. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to understand the concept of spiritual self-care in Iranian adolescents in 2019.

METHODS

This qualitative study with content analysis approach was conducted on 14 adolescents with the age range of 14-20 years, who had been selected by purposeful sampling method. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews which were carried out between 4 March 2019 and 20 August 2019.

RESULTS

The interviews were transcribed immediately after the recording, and then were analyzed using direct content analysis. A total of 252 primary codes related to the adolescents' spiritual self-care were extracted from the analysis, which determined 4 main aspects of spiritual self-care (spiritual belief, spiritual experience, social-religious activities, and spiritual growth).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study showed that, spiritual self-care is a form of self-care by which a person uses his or her spiritual beliefs, teachings, and experiences as a source of control over stress and crises, and will be able to cope with problems.