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Quality of Life Research
Published in: Quality of Life Research 11/2018

Open Access 01-11-2018 | Review

Association of religiosity and spirituality with quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease: a systematic review

Authors: Hawa O. Abu, Christine Ulbricht, Eric Ding, Jeroan J. Allison, Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher, Robert J. Goldberg, Catarina I. Kiefe

Published in: Quality of Life Research | Issue 11/2018

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Abstract

Purpose

This review systematically identified and critically appraised the available literature that has examined the association between religiosity and/or spirituality (R/S) and quality of life (QOL) in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods

We searched several electronic online databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, and CINAHL) from database inception until October 2017. Included articles were peer-reviewed, published in English, and quantitatively examined the association between R/S and QOL. We assessed the methodological quality of each included study.

Results

The 15 articles included were published between 2002 and 2017. Most studies were conducted in the US and enrolled patients with heart failure. Sixteen dimensions of R/S were assessed with a variety of instruments. QOL domains examined were global, health-related, and disease-specific QOL. Ten studies reported a significant positive association between R/S and QOL, with higher spiritual well-being, intrinsic religiousness, and frequency of church attendance positively related with mental and emotional well-being. Approximately half of the included studies reported negative or null associations.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that higher levels of R/S may be related to better QOL among patients with CVD, with varying associations depending on the R/S dimension and QOL domain assessed. Future longitudinal studies in large patient samples with different CVDs and designs are needed to better understand how R/S may influence QOL. More uniformity in assessing R/S would enhance the comparability of results across studies. Understanding the influence of R/S on QOL would promote a holistic approach in managing patients with CVD.
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Metadata
Title
Association of religiosity and spirituality with quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease: a systematic review
Authors
Hawa O. Abu
Christine Ulbricht
Eric Ding
Jeroan J. Allison
Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher
Robert J. Goldberg
Catarina I. Kiefe
Publication date
01-11-2018
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Quality of Life Research / Issue 11/2018
Print ISSN: 0962-9343
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2649
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-018-1906-4

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