Abstract

NUNEZ, Paulina; ENRIQUEZ, Damián  and  IRARRAZAVAL, María Elisa. SPIRITUALITY IN CANCER PATIENTS: A WAY OF NURTURE HOPE AND FOSTERING COPING. Ajayu [online]. 2012, vol.10, n.1, pp.84-100. ISSN 2077-2161.

Recent years have seen increasing recognition paid to the relation of spirituality and religiousness (S/R) to health care. Many researches are being done in this topic.Cancer is an increasing cause of death in Chile and all over the world. It represents an important source of stress across all phases of the illness.Spirituality and religion is a source of hope and helps to cope with the disease. Actually, in Chile and all over the word, it is recognized that spirituality and religion are a patient need in health care and especially in oncologic setting. They affect health care decision-making, and also health care outcomes including quality of life. Spiritual and religious beliefs can also create distress and increase the burdens of illness. Spirituality/Religion dimension has to be taken in account in health care. The principles of spiritual care have to be applicable across all phases and settings for the seriously ill, without regard to culture, religious tradition, or spiritual frames of reference. To pay attention on guidelines about how deliver quality spiritual care in oncologic and especially in palliative care is mandatory.

Keywords : Spirituality; coping; hope; cancer.

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