Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention

Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention (아시아태평양암예방학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Influence of Religious Beliefs on the Health of Cancer Patients

  • Tsai, Tai-Jung (Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital) ;
  • Chung, Ue-Lin (School of Nursing, Hung Kuang University) ;
  • Chang, Chee-Jen (Clinical Informatics and Medical Statistics Research Center, Chang Gung University) ;
  • Wang, Hsiu-Ho (Department of Nursing, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology)
  • Published : 2016.06.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Background: This study investigated the influence of religious beliefs on the health of cancer patients and identified the factors contributing to the influence. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted using a convenient sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to the samplings, and the data of 200 cancer patients were collected. Results: The effects of religion on the health of cancer patients achieved an average score of 3.58. The top five effects are presented as follows: (a) Religion provides me with mental support and strength, (b) religion enables me to gain confidence in health recovery, (c) religion motivates me to cope with disease-related stress positively and optimistically, (d) religion helps me reduce anxiety, and (e) religion gives me courage to face uncertainties regarding disease progression. Moreover, among the demographic variables, gender, type of religion, and experience of religious miracles contributed to the significantly different effects of religion on patients. Specifically, the effect of religion on the health of patients who were female and Christian and had miracle experiences was significantly (p< .01) higher than that on other patients. Conclusions: These results are helpful in understanding the influence of religious beliefs on the health of cancer patients and identified the factors contributing to the influence. The result can serve as a reference for nursing education and clinical nursing practice.

Keywords

References

  1. Afrooz R, Rahmani A, Zamanzadeh V, et al (2014). The nature of hope among Iranian cancer patients. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 15, 9307-12. https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2014.15.21.9307
  2. Al Zaben F, Khalifa DA, Sehlo MG, et al (2014). Religious Involvement and Health in Dialysis Patients in Saudi Arabia. J Relig Health, 15. [Epub ahead of print]
  3. Boelens PA, Reeves RR, Replogle WH, et al (2009). A randomized trial of the effect of prayer on depression and anxiety. Int J Psychiatry Med, 39, 377-92. https://doi.org/10.2190/PM.39.4.c
  4. Bodurka-Bevers D, Basen-Engquist K, Carmack CL, et al (2000). Depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol, 78, 302-8. https://doi.org/10.1006/gyno.2000.5908
  5. Caplan L, Sawyer P, Holt C, et al (2014). Religiosity After a Diagnosis of Cancer Among Older Adults. J Relig Spiritual Aging, 26, 357-69. https://doi.org/10.1080/15528030.2014.928922
  6. Cantarero-Villanueva C, Fernández-Lao C, Fernández-De-Las- Penas L, et al (2011). Associations among musculoskeletal impairments, depression, body image and fatigue in breast cancer survivors within the first year after treatment. Eur J Cancer Care, 20, 632-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2354.2011.01245.x
  7. Carvalho CC, Chaves Ede C, Iunes DH, et al (2014). Effectiveness of prayer in reducing anxiety in cancer patients. Rev Esc Enferm USP, 48, 683-9.
  8. Dowshen N, D’Angelo L (2011). Health Care Transition for Youth Living With HIV/AIDS. Pediatrics, 128, 762-71. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-0068
  9. Eisenberg DM, Kessler RC, Foster C, et al (1993). Unconventional medicine in the United States: Prevalence costs and patterns of use. N Engl J Med, 328, 246-52. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199301283280406
  10. Gorsuch R (1983). Factor Analysis (2nd. Ed). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
  11. Ganz PA, Bower JE (2007). Cancer related fatigue: A focus on breast cancer and Hodgkin’s disease survivors. Acta Oncol, 46, 474-79. https://doi.org/10.1080/02841860701367845
  12. Harper P, Littlewood T (2005). Anaemia of cancer: Impact on patient fatigue and long-term outcome. Oncology, 69, 2-7. https://doi.org/10.1159/000088282
  13. Hollywell C, Walker J. (2009). Private prayer as a suitable intervention for hospitalised patients: a critical review of the literature. J Clin Nurs, 18, 637-51.
  14. Henriksson MM, Isometsä ET, Hietanen PS, et al (1995). Mental disorders in cancer suicides. J Affect Disord, 36, 11-20 https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-0327(95)00047-X
  15. Koenig HG (2012). Religion, spirituality, and health: the research and clinical implications. ISRN Psychiatry. 2012:278730. doi: 10.5402/2012/278730.
  16. Levin JS (1996). How religion influences morbidity and health: reflections on natural history, salutogenesis and host resistance. Soc Sci Med, 43, 849-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(96)00150-5
  17. Lynn M (1986). Determination and quantification of content validity. Nurs Res, 35, 382-5.
  18. Molassiotis A, Fernandez-Ortega P, Pud D, et al (2005). Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: a European survey. Ann Oncol, 16, 655-63. https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdi110
  19. Mohammed A A, Huda A A, Mansour AM (2009). Coping with a diagnosis of breast cancer-literature review and implications for developing countries. Breast, 15, 615-22. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-4741.2009.00812.x
  20. National Institutes of Health (2012a). Spirituality in Cancer Care. Available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/spirituality/Patient/page1
  21. National Institutes of Health (2012b). Religious faith in coping with terminal cancer: what is the nursing experience? Available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/spirituality/Patient/page4
  22. Nasseri K, Mills PK, Mirshahidi HR, Lawrence H (2012). Moulton suicide in cancer patients in california. 1997–2006. Arch Suicide Res, 16, 324-33 https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2013.722056
  23. Puchalski CM (2010). Religion, medicine and spirituality: what we know, what we don’t know and what we do. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 11, 45-9.
  24. Piper BF, Borneman T, Sun VCY, et al (2008). Cancer-related fatigue: Role of oncology nurse in Translating National Comprehensive Cancer Network assessment guidelines into practice. Clin J Oncol Nurs, 12, 37-47.
  25. Tuncay T (2014). Coping and quality of life in Turkish women living with ovarian cancer. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 15, 4005-12. https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2014.15.9.4005
  26. Thune-Boyle IC, Stygall J, Keshtgar MR, et al (2011). The impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on religious/spiritual beliefs and practices in the UK. J Relig Health, 50, 203-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-010-9322-2
  27. Weaver A J, Flannelly K J (2004). The Role of Religion/ Spirituality for Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers. South Med J, 97, 1210-4. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.SMJ.0000146492.27650.1C

Cited by

  1. Opinions, Knowledge and Attitudes Concerning “Spirituality, Religiosity and Health” Among Health Graduates in a Spanish University pp.1573-6571, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00780-3