Spirituality alleviates the burden on family members caring for patients receiving palliative care exclusively (original) (raw)
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Psychological impairments burden and spirituality in caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients
European journal of cancer care, 2017
The role of spirituality on the psychological health was mostly investigated through studies conducted in terminally ill patients. However, there are not studies investigating the role of religious and spiritual beliefs on psychological state and on burden dimensions in caregivers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between spirituality, burden, and psychological state in caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients. Two hundred caregivers of terminally ill patients with cancer were interviewed using Prolonged Grief Disorder 12 (PG-12), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D), Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) and System of Belief Inventory (SBI-15R). The caregiver burden was positively correlated with anxiety, depression and PG-12 scores. The intrinsic spirituality was a significant predictor of the time-dependence burden (positively associated); and of the emotional burden (negatively associated). In caregivers of terminall...
Family Relations And Spiritual Response To Palliative Care: A Review Of Literature
International Archives of Medicine, 2016
Introduction: It is common to prioritize the critical patient care in detrainment of the caregivers, but this usual behavior must change, maintaining the family members as an extension of the care given to patients. Results and Discussion: Spiritual wellbeing is a complement to all health strands united with physical and psychosocial status, they must be put into the routine of practicing medicine on end of life care in congruence with a good communication. Conclusion: At all levels of assistance in palliative care the family must be included, therefore clinicians shall have information on how to deal with them and developing activities to improve communication.
Spiritual Resources of Family Members of Patients in Palliative Care in Brazil
Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, 2021
Although religiosity is a strong feature of Brazilian people, the integration of spirituality in palliative care (PC) has been a challenge for health care professionals. In order to evaluate the spiritual resources used by family members of patients in PC, this work presents the results of the research carried out with 50 family members. The Satisfaction with Life Scale, Centrality of Religiosity Scale, Spiritual/ Religious Coping Scale, Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale, and Attachment to God Inventory were applied. The prevalence of positive spiritual/religious coping was very high (76%) or high (6%). There was a strong correlation between positive spiritual/religious coping and centrality of religiosity (r ¼ 0.805; SD ¼ 0.87). There was a moderate negative correlation between the avoidant attachment to God and centrality of religiosity (r ¼ À0.611; SD ¼ 1.24) and positive spiritual/religious coping (r ¼ À0.575; SD ¼ 1.37). There was a moderate positive correlation between the anxious attachment to God and spiritual struggles (r ¼ 0.515; SD ¼ 0.76) and negative spiritual/religious coping (r ¼ 0.555; SD ¼ 0.616). These results suggest that spiritual/religious resources are present in family members of patients in PC. These resources have been mostly ignored by the multidisciplinary team. Findings provide an evidence base for training health care professionals to better integrate spirituality in PC settings.
Context. Spiritual assessment tools and interventions based on holistic approaches are needed to promote healing. Such tools must be adapted to the wide cultural backgrounds of contemporary Western society. Objectives. To develop and validate a new brief measure, simultaneously featuring clinical applicability and adequate psychometric properties. The tool uses six initial questions to establish a climate of trust with patients before they complete an eight-item, five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire is based on a model of spirituality generated by the Spanish Society of Palliative Care (SECPAL) Task Force on Spiritual Care (Grupo de Espiritualidad de la SECPAL), which aims to recognize, share, and assess the spiritual resources and needs of palliative care patients. Methods. Multidisciplinary professionals from 15 palliative care teams across Spain interviewed 108 patients using the Grupo de Espiritualidad de la SECPAL questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis techniques were used to study the new tool factor structure and reliability. Additionally, concurrent criterion validity coefficients were estimated considering spiritual well-being, anxiety, depression, resilience, and symptoms. Descriptive statistics on questionnaire applicability were reported. Results. Analyses supported a three-factor structure (intrapersonal, interpersonal, transpersonal) with an underlying second-order factor representing a spirituality construct. Adequate reliability results and evidence for construct validity were obtained. Conclusion. The new questionnaire, based on empirical research and bedside experience, showed good psychometric properties and clinical applicability.
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, 2019
Background: Spiritual care is integral to palliative care. It engenders a sense of purpose, meaning, and connectedness to the sacred or important and may support caregiver well-being. Aim: To examine caregivers' spirituality, religiosity, spiritual wellbeing, and views on spiritual/religious support. Design: A mixed-methods study across 4 Australian sites, recruiting caregivers of patients with a life expectancy of under 12 months. The anonymous semistructured questionnaire used included research team developed and adapted questions examining religion/spirituality's role and support and views on hospitals supporting spiritual/ religious requirements. It additionally included the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12). Results: One hundred nine caregivers participated (47.4% responded). Median spiritual well-being was 30.5 on FACIT-Sp-12. Religious affiliation was associated with higher Faith subscores (P < .001). Spirituality was very important to 24.5%, religiosity to 28.2%, and unimportant to 31.4% and 35.9%, respectively. Caregivers prayed (P ¼ .005) and meditated (P ¼ .006) more following patients' diagnoses, gaining comfort, guidance, and strength. Caregivers whose spiritual/religious needs were met to moderate/full extent by external religious/faith communities (23.8%) reported greater spiritual well-being (P < .001). Hospitals supported moderate/full caregiver spiritual needs in 19.3%. Pastoral care visits comforted 84.4% of those who received them (n ¼ 32) but elicited discomfort in 15.6%. Caregivers also emphasized the importance of humane staff and organizational tone in supporting spiritual care. Conclusions: Hospital-based spiritual care providers should seek to identify those who seek pastoral or religiously orientated care. Genuine hospitality of showing concern for the other ensures the varied yet inevitably humanist requirements of the caregiver community are met.
Measures of spiritual issues for palliative care patients: a literature review
Palliative Medicine, 2008
Members of the EORTC Quality of Life Group are developing a standalone functional measure of spiritual wellbeing for palliative care patients, which will have both a clinical and a measurement application. This paper discusses data from a literature review, conducted at two time points as part of the development process of this instrument. The review identified 29 existing measures of issues relating to patients" spirituality or spiritual wellbeing. 22 are standalone measures, of which 15 can be categorised as substantive (investigating the substance of respondents" beliefs), and 7 as functional (exploring the function those beliefs serve).
Spirituality and its Relevance in Assistance to Patients under Palliative Care According to Experts
Hospice and Palliative Medicine International Journal, 2017
Background: Palliative care and spirituality are still very little discussed, but when studied and applied they become capable of alleviating some of the dimensions of suffering of man. Objective: To evaluate the understanding of health professionals about the concept of assistance to patients under palliative care and spirituality, as well as the application of techniques to alleviate the spiritual suffering for these patients. Method: This study used questionnaires in 91 professionals that work in the palliative care area (doctors, nurses and psychologists, chaplains), with at least three years of experience, regardless of gender. Results: The study shows a divergence in the work of professionals of the multidisciplinary staff, as well as the difficulty in addressing issues of spirituality. Conclusion: The palliative care and spirituality provide relief to many suffering patients, it is important to have health professionals aligned in concepts and prepared to use it in clinical practice.