The Influence of Spirituality on Quality of Life during Cancer, United States

Abstract

Spirituality is an important quality of life domain, and spiritual wellness is an integral part of holistic health in patients with cancer. The concept of total pain, coined by Dame Cicely Saunders, implies that suffering involves all aspects of an individual, including physical, emotional, social, and spiritual domains as they are interrelated and interconnected. Within this paradigm, cancer care should address all domains of suffering as well. Healing the spirit can lead to alleviated pain and relief of other deleterious symptoms and emotional and social distress. This chapter discusses the importance of incorporating spirituality into cancer care. Terms and concepts important to this discussion are defined. Components of screening and assessing spirituality are included, along with tools that can aid clinicians in gathering spiritual insights to inform care in the clinical setting. Interventions for clinicians and others trained in spiritual care are described along with outcomes of spiritual wellness. Limitations with current studies are also delineated, along with recommendations for future research. Finally, two case studies illustrate the impact and importance of integrating spirituality into cancer care.