ASO Author Reflections: Influence of Patient Clinical- and Treatment-Level Factors on Religious/Spiritual Preferences During Cancer Care

Excerpt

In the USA, nearly 80% of the population identify as religious and/or spiritual.1 In the context of health and healthcare, these religious and spiritual (R&S) beliefs are utilized by patients as a means to cope with their illness, confront their mortality, and recover from treatment.2 Therefore, R&S may be particularly important in the care context of patients diagnosed with cancer, who often face uncertain treatment options and prognosis, as well as treatment-related decisions that may not result in symptom improvement or cure.3,4 Prior studies have noted patient R&S beliefs to be associated with greater feelings of wellbeing, including hope, optimism, and sense of purpose, as well as decreased negative affect.4,5 These findings often failed to take into account patient needs in specific clinical- or treatment-related contexts. In addition, patients often report that their R&S needs are neglected in the healthcare setting.6 For patients undergoing a surgical operation for their cancer, limited evidence suggests that R&S needs may increase during the perioperative period.7 Therefore, the objective of the current study was to characterize the R&S needs of patients who underwent cancer-directed surgery and examine how those R&S needs varied based on R&S identity, as well as clinical and treatment characteristics. …