The Effect of Spiritual Care on the Spiritual Health of Adolescents with Cancer: A Pre-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: Spiritual health is considered one of the most important components of health and palliative care that facilitates harmonious and integrated communication among one's inner forces. One of the basic principles of holistic nursing care is to pay attention to the spirituality and spiritual care of patients. Spiritual care is an important source of adaptation in refractory and chronic patients such as cancer. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of spiritual care on the spiritual health of adolescents with cancer. Methods: This pre-experimental, single-group, pre-post study was performed on 35 adolescents with cancer admitted to Imam Ali Teaching Hospital in Zahedan from May to September 2019. Convenient sampling technique was performed to carry out the study based on inclusion criteria. Data collection tools included demographic information questionnaire and Paloutzian and Ellison Spiritual Health questionnaire. Before and after the spiritual care intervention, the required data were collected by interviewing adolescents and using questionnaires. The data were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk test and paired t-test. Results: Adolescents' overall spiritual health score increased from 52 ± 7.34 before the intervention to 102 ± 6.57 after the intervention and the difference was significant (P = 0.001). Conclusions: According to the findings of the present study, spiritual care is effective in the spiritual health of adolescents with cancer and can promote adolescent spiritual health. Therefore, it is suggested that nurses incorporate spiritual care into their patient care plans as a simple, accessible, safe and affordable way to promote their spiritual health.

Randomized Controlled Trial Study of the Impact of a Spiritual Intervention on Hope and Spiritual Well-Being of Persons with Cancer

“…(26) Another correlational study has showed that cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who had a high religious/spiritual coping score were found to have a higher level of hope. (27) The results of a study by Mansurifard and colleagues indicated spiritual health of adolescents with cancer was promoted following spiritual cares, (28) which is in line with our study. However, the findings of our study is not similar to a study by Kang and colleagues, in which meaning of life of adolescents with advanced cancer had been improved following logo therapy, however, no significant changes were observed for spiritual well-being in both the intervention and control groups.…”

Mindfulness Meditation Based on Spiritual Care to Reduce Community Anxiety due to the Impact of Pandemic Coronavirus Disease

“…Spiritual care is one of the most important aspects for health, the spiritual aspect has a harmonious relationship and is interconnected with life stability and inner strength, provides peace, strengthens relationships with oneself, community gods, and the environment. Spiritual care is the only force in coordinating the physical, psychological and social dimensions [25], [46].…”

“…The validity test gets the Cronbach's alpha value is 0.85 [38]. The DASS 42 questionnaire taken number (2,4,7,9,15,19,20,23,25,28,30,36,40,41) with normal anxiety assessment indicators with a value range of 0-7, mild anxiety 8-9, moderate anxiety 10-14, severe anxiety 15-19, and very severe anxiety >20 [39]. A description of the DASS assessment of one's perceived results starting with the number 0: Absent or never, 1: According to what is experienced to a certain degree, or sometimes, 2: Often, and 3: Very much according to what is experienced or almost every time it is experienced.…”

“…Experienced anxiety can be reduced by means of mindfulness meditation based on spiritual care which is a non-pharmacological measure [25], [26], [27], [28], [29].…”

“…Supportive presence and religious rituals: Build trust, empathy, and honesty between nurses and clients, provide support to clients about problems that occur so that anxiety levels increase, nurses provide a detailed description of COVID-19, when speaking use a supportive approach, invite clients pray, listen to Al-Quran, perform prayers. If you have another religion, listen to soothing religious music or read the scriptures that they believe in Mansurifard et al [25], Mansurifard et al [26], Hatmalyakin [27], Hoge et al [28].…”