Influence of Religious Beliefs on the Health of Cancer Patients

"God gave you a special child because you are special": difficulties, coping strategies, and parental burnout of Jewish mothers - a qualitative study

Background

"Parental Burnout" is a specific syndrome resulting from an imbalance between continuous exposure to chronic parenting stress and available protective resources. Mothers of children with special needs have an increased risk of Parental Burnout due to dealing with various difficulties from carrying out long-term childcare.

Purpose

To examine difficulties, coping strategies, and PB (risk factors and protective resources), among ultra-Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jewish mothers of children with special needs with high or low levels of Parental Burnout.

Methods

A qualitative study. Twelve mothers of children with special needs identified with high or low Parental Burnout via a quantitative study were interviewed. The constant-comparative analysis method was used to analyze the findings.

Findings

Three themes and twelve categories emerged: 1. Difficulties involved in motherhood with six categories: (a) caregiver burden, (b) task overload, (c) physical and mental self-neglect, (d) environmental, couple-hood, family and social neglect, (e) recognizing the gap between their child with special needs and other children of the same age, (f) the environment's contradictory expectations from the mother; 2. Coping strategies with four categories: (a) practical, (b) spiritual, (c) social and (d) emotional; and 3. Parental Burnout, consequences and coping with two categories: (a) personal and environmental risk factors (e.g., fear of the future, difficulty in trusting others in taking care of their child), and (b) personal and environmental protective resources (e.g., sharing similar circumstances with other mothers, a belief in God).

Conclusions and implications

The findings contribute to understanding the unique difficulties, coping strategies and differences in risk factors and protective resources of Parental Burnout among ultra-Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jewish mothers of children with special needs. In order to alleviate the difficulties experienced by mothers and thus also reduce Parental Burnout risk factors and provide effective protective resources, it is recommended to develop empirically based professional guidance for policymakers, child development specialists, nurses, physiotherapists, and informal caregivers.

Explaining the Process of Spiritual Adjustment in Parents of a Child with Cancer: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Having a child with cancer impacts the family members and reduces their quality of life. Considering the fact that spirituality creates tranquility, hope for the future, and acceptance of the disease, this study aimed to explain the process of spiritual care in parents of a child with cancer. Methods: This study was carried out using a qualitative method and grounded theory approach. The setting of this research was oncology and radiotherapy wards, governmental oncology clinics and pediatric hospitals. Using purposive and theoretical sampling method, 22 participants (eight mothers, three fathers with childhood cancer experience and 11 individuals working in oncology departments of different Iranian pediatric hospitals) were selected and individual and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Results: The data analysis led to the creation of a core variable of "bridge towards spirituality" which included five main categories of "unstable situation", "spirituality," "crossing rocky path", "multi-dimensional support", and "rethink". Conclusion: Due to the significant impacts of a child's cancer on parents and the fact that people's spiritual needs increase in critical and stressful situations, paying attention to the spirituality process is essential for managing the conditions created by the child's disease and help parents through developing a comprehensive program of spiritual care in health care centers. Spiritual care is currently absent in the health care system of Iran, which necessitates attention to this issue in the parents of children with cancer.

Gender Differences in Psychosocial, Religious, and Spiritual Aspects in Coping: A Cross-Sectional Study with Cancer Patients

Background: There is a growing awareness of religiosity and/or spirituality (R/S) as a possible resource in coping with cancer. Gender differences in religious coping have not yet been thoroughly examined. This study aimed to analyze differences in religious coping between men and women with cancer and compare the impact of R/S on anxiety and depression symptoms.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Divisions of Hematology and Oncology of the Medical University of Vienna. In total, 352 patients with a cancer diagnosis, who regarded themselves as religious and/or spiritual, were interviewed at Vienna's university hospital with standardized questionnaires. To answer our research questions, we used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Benefit Through Spirituality/Religiosity (Benefit) questionnaire, and collected demographic characteristics.

Results: Of 689 cancer patients, 51% (352) regard themselves as religious and/or spiritual. Women with cancer tend toward R/S more significantly (57%) than men (45%). In patients with an R/S belief, women scored higher in almost all items of the Benefit questionnaire and showed higher prevalence of anxiety (p < 0.001) and depression than men. Regarding the socioeconomic characteristics, more women were widowed, and had significantly lower income than men.

Conclusions: The results show a significant gender gap concerning the importance of R/S for cancer patients and the effect on psychological well-being.

Women in this study were more religious/spiritual than men and scored higher on anxiety and depression. We support the notion that the gender perspective is essential and can contribute to better patient care in identifying gender-specific concerns.

Onco-Esthetics Dilemma: Is There a Role for Electrocosmetic-Medical Devices?

Objective

The primary aim of this review is to verify whether the warning against the use of electromedical instruments in the cosmetic professional or medical cancer patient settings is consistent with evident oncological risks supported by experimental in vitro/in vivo studies or anecdotal clinical reports, or any other reasonable statement.

Methods

MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, AMED, Ovid, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and Google Scholar databases were electronically searched. Data relating to research design, sample population, type of electro-cosmetic devices used, were extracted.

Results

The search strategy identified 50 studies, 30 of which were potentially relevant.

Conclusions

Our research is in favor of moderate periodical use of cosmetic medical devices in patients bearing tumors, in any stage, like in healthy people. Special consideration is dedicated to massage, manipulation, and pressure delivery upon the cytoskeleton of cancer cells that has proven to be sensitive to mechanical stress at least in some specific locally relapsing cancers such as osteosarcoma.

Psychosocial Problems in Relation to Spiritual Orientation and Religious Coping Among Oncology Muslim Patients

BACKGROUND

Patients generally turn to religion and spirituality when coping with the diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess psychosocial problems in relation to spiritual orientation and religious coping among Muslim oncology patients.

METHODS

This cross-sectional, correlational study enrolled 406 oncology inpatient participants. Participants completed the Distress Thermometer, the Religious Coping Styles Scale, the Spiritual Orientation Scale, and the The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General Quality of Life Scale.

RESULTS

As the spiritual orientation levels of the participants increased, use of a positive religious coping strategy also increased and distress levels decreased. In addition, general perceived quality of health increased as spiritual orientation levels and positive religious coping strategy use increased. Participants reported using prayer, daily prayer attendance, offerings, and consulting religious experts to seek healing.

CONCLUSIONS

Oncology patients in Turkey experience increased spiritual orientation levels while coping with illness-related psychosocial problems and use positive religious coping methods.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The religious beliefs and spiritual orientations of Turkish oncology patients affect their cancer experience, their care, and their quality of life. Determining the religious and spiritual coping methods used by patients to cope with illness-related psychosocial problems may make it easier for nurses to plan patient-specific nursing care.

Spirituality and Religious Practices and Its Association with Geriatric Syndromes in Older Adults Attending to a Geriatric's Clinic in a University Hospital

Demographic aging has led to an increase in the prevalence of different diseases, including the so-called geriatric syndromes (GS), like depression, disability and frailty phenotype (FP). Spirituality and religious practices (RP) have been associated with positive health outcomes and could be a protective factor against the development of some GS. Study aims was to determine the frequency of spirituality and RP, and their associations between some GS in adults 60 years of age or older, who attended a geriatric clinic in a university hospital in Mexico. Cross-sectional study in adults aged ≥ 60 years, recruited in 2018, was performed. Participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment, with which spirituality and religious practices model and the diagnosis of GS were obtained. Linear regression analyses were determined to establish the association between RP and GS. We included 128 subjects; mean age was 79 years (SD ± 8). Lowers scores for mass and communion assiduity were associated with worst disability and FP scores (b = - 0.35, P = 0.02; b = - 0.37, P = 0.03). The RP model explained 8% (R² = 0.083) of the total variance of the depressive symptoms score (P = 0.03). This study showed that the prevalence of RP is higher in Mexican older adults. The RP model can explain 8 and 9% of the variation in dependent variables (depressive symptoms and disability). These results suggest the importance of monitoring RP, as they seem to have a positive impact on health status of the elderly.

Relationship between the religious attitudes of women with gynecologic cancer and mental adjustment to cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between religious attitudes of Muslim women with gynecologic cancer and mental adjustment to cancer.

METHODS

Designed as a descriptive relational study, this study was conducted with 123 patients with gynecologic cancer. A personal information form, prepared in accordance with the literature, the Religious Attitude Scale (RAS), and the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (MACS) were used as data collection tools. The data were assessed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation analysis, and linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

A positive correlation was determined between the RAS score and the fighting spirit subscale of the MACS (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). A negative correlation was found between the helplessness/hopelessness and anxious preoccupation subscales of the MACS and the RAS score (r = -0.40, p < 0.001; r = -0.30, p < 0.001, respectively).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

The present results are helpful in understanding the influence of religious attitudes on the mental adjustment to gynecologic cancer patients. The results can serve as a reference for nursing education and clinical healthcare practice. Palliative healthcare providers can participate in improved care by recognizing spiritual needs and by advocating for attention to spiritual needs as a routine part of cancer care.

Na sala de espera do terreiro: uma investigação com adeptos da umbanda com queixas de adoecimento

Resumo As queixas de adoecimento fazem parte de uma importante parcela das demandas religiosas em diversas crenças, com destaque para a umbanda no cenário brasileiro. O objetivo deste estudo etnopsicológico foi conhecer o modo como adeptos da umbanda com queixas de adoecimento compreendem os processos de saúde-doença. Participaram 20 adeptos atendidos em dois terreiros localizados em uma cidade de médio porte do estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. O corpus foi composto por entrevistas semiestruturadas transcritas e organizadas pela análise temática. Destacam-se as ambivalências no processo de compreensão do adoecimento e das trajetórias terapêuticas que permeiam os relatos desses adeptos. Em que pesem as explicações de ordem médica, ligadas ao corpo físico e aos medicamentos, também emergem narrativas espirituais relativas ao mundo interno e à saúde mental. E não obstante as referências ao trabalho das entidades incorporadas, também são resgatadas críticas ao modo como profissionais de saúde se distanciam da religiosidade/espiritualidade - tanto a sua como a do paciente. Apesar dessas ambivalências, os adeptos expressam uma noção integrada de saúde quando buscam atendimento no terreiro, mesclando elementos científicos com expressões religiosas. Esse movimento reafirma a umbanda como um espaço de acolhimento da diversidade, em que diferentes racionalidades podem conviver.

Na sala de espera do terreiro: uma investigação com adeptos da umbanda com queixas de adoecimento

Resumo As queixas de adoecimento fazem parte de uma importante parcela das demandas religiosas em diversas crenças, com destaque para a umbanda no cenário brasileiro. O objetivo deste estudo etnopsicológico foi conhecer o modo como adeptos da umbanda com queixas de adoecimento compreendem os processos de saúde-doença. Participaram 20 adeptos atendidos em dois terreiros localizados em uma cidade de médio porte do estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. O corpus foi composto por entrevistas semiestruturadas transcritas e organizadas pela análise temática. Destacam-se as ambivalências no processo de compreensão do adoecimento e das trajetórias terapêuticas que permeiam os relatos desses adeptos. Em que pesem as explicações de ordem médica, ligadas ao corpo físico e aos medicamentos, também emergem narrativas espirituais relativas ao mundo interno e à saúde mental. E não obstante as referências ao trabalho das entidades incorporadas, também são resgatadas críticas ao modo como profissionais de saúde se distanciam da religiosidade/espiritualidade - tanto a sua como a do paciente. Apesar dessas ambivalências, os adeptos expressam uma noção integrada de saúde quando buscam atendimento no terreiro, mesclando elementos científicos com expressões religiosas. Esse movimento reafirma a umbanda como um espaço de acolhimento da diversidade, em que diferentes racionalidades podem conviver.

Opinions, Knowledge and Attitudes Concerning "Spirituality, Religiosity and Health" Among Health Graduates in a Spanish University

This study aims to investigate the opinions, knowledge and attitudes concerning spirituality, religiosity and health among 75 health MSc graduates from a Spanish university. The questionnaire "Religion and Spirituality in Medicine, Perspectives of Physicians" was used. Most students had low levels of religious activities, agreeing that S/R could have a high influence on the health professional-patient relationship (62.6%). Nevertheless, they felt little prepared to address these issues (90.6%) and believed that universities were not providing enough information on this topic (91.9%). The most common barriers for addressing R/S were insufficient time (34.7%) and fear of offending the patients (31.9%). Nurse students tended to believe more on the influence of R/S on patients' health and on the appropriateness of addressing R/S issues. However, religious beliefs were not associated with students' R/S opinions. The incorporation of such topic could potentially promote the spiritual sensitivity of health professionals, improving the holistic care.

Psychological Limbo as a Barrier to Spiritual Care for Parents of Children with Cancer: A Qualitative Study

Background:

Pediatric cancer causes reduced life quality and psychological problems for parents. It is necessary to pay attention to spirituality, which plays a significant role in increasing the life quality of these parents and their patient children and managing the conditions associated with the disease. This study was performed to determine factors predisposing to spiritual care in parents of children suffering from cancer.

Methods:

This qualitative study was conducted by conventional content analysis. Fifteen parents of children with cancer hospitalized in the oncology and hematology wards of governmental hospitals in Iran were selected using a purposive sampling method and underwent semi-structured deep interviews from 2015.1.10 until 2017.3.10.

Results:

On data analysis, 12 subcategories emerged leading to extraction of three : “projection”, “mental concern”, and “psychological pains”. The final result was a focus on the theme “psychological limbo”.

Conclusion:

Our findings showed that cancer induces psychological problems in parents, which may serve as factors that drive them towards spiritual affairs. Hence, attention should be paid to predisposing factors of spiritual care to facilitate tranquility and an ability to adapt to their circumstances in affected parents.