A Research of the Spiritual Well-Being and Spiritual Needs of HIV/AIDS Patients

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data to assess spiritual health of HIV/AIDS patients and devise spiritual nursing mediation plans in practical nursing work by examining the levels of spiritual wellbeing (SWB) and spiritual needs of HIV/AIDS patients'. Methods: A correlation survey study was conducted on HIV/AIDS patients age ranging from 20 to 70 years to investigate the relationship between their SWB and spiritual needs. Results: 1. Average scores of HIV/AIDS patients' related to SWB were found to be higher than the intermediate level: 54.59 in SWB; more specifically, 27.78 in existential well-being and 26.80 in religious well-being. 2. Average score of for HIV/AIDS patients' spiritual needs was 108.67: More specifically, 37.80 in the needs of love and interest, 42.35 in the needs of seeking meanings and purposes, and 28.51 in the needs of wanting to be forgiven. 3. Concerning the correlation between SWB and spiritual needs, the total SWB and total spiritual needs of HIV/AIDS patients' showed a weak positive correlation (r=0.344, P=0.013). Conclusion: The result of the study showed that SWB and spiritual needs of HIV/AIDS patients' are higher than the average scores, and these two parameters have a weak positive correlation, indicating that HIV/AIDS patients have strong spiritual needs of seeking meanings and purposes. Therefore, more studies on the spiritual nursing mediation plans are needed in order to raise their spiritual well-being levels and meet their spiritual needs through precise assessment.