Psychological burden is a central aspect of living with chronic cardiovascular disorders and profoundly affects how individuals experience and cope with fear, dependency and loss of control. Understanding these experiences is essential for delivering high-quality, holistic and person-centred care. This study explored the experiences of psychological burden among individuals living with chronic cardiovascular disorders in a low- and middle-income context. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study. Nineteen individuals were purposively recruited using maximum variation sampling and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide between May and September 2024. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis software (MAXQDA). The analysis of 19 interviews generated three overarching themes: (a) multifaceted disruption of life from acute onset to enduring dependency; (b) burden of existential fear and struggle for control; and (c) faith-based burden management: prayer, practice and spiritual resilience. Individuals with chronic cardiovascular disorders experience a significant psychological burden, including sudden illness onset, dependency and existential fear, despite available treatment. Faith, family and community support serve as key sources of coping. The integration of psychological care, spiritual support and culturally sensitive interventions alongside biomedical management is essential for improving outcomes in low and middle-income countries. Health care professionals should integrate psychological screening and counselling to address existential fears, social withdrawal and suppressed emotional expression among individuals with chronic cardiovascular disorders. Patients with chronic cardiovascular disorders informed the design of the interview guide, participated in interviews and helped validate the interpretation of findings, ensuring that the study reflected their lived experiences. This study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ).

IntroductionHospital readmissions in the US place a considerable burden on patients and their caregivers. Our study will investigate whether spiritual intervention during a patient's hospital stay contributes to lower rates of readmissions 30days after hospital discharge.MethodsTwo hundred patients receiving palliative care will be randomized into control (n = 100) and intervention groups (n = 100). The control group will receive a standard spiritual support visit, while the intervention group will receive a spiritual intervention consisting of active listening, compassionate presence, assessment of post-discharge resources, and a supportive phone call 5 to 7days after discharge. The primary outcome will be hospital readmission within 30days of discharge. Board-certified chaplains will be allowed to use their individual skillsets but within the standardized ACA spiritual care model. Training chaplains to assess patients in the same way will help with this discrepancy as the same form will be used.DiscussionWe hypothesize that patients who receive spiritual intervention with a supportive phone call will experience fewer hospital readmissions. Spiritual intervention will instill.confidence in those patients at risk of readmission by assuring them that the hospital staff remain concerned about their well-being even after discharge.

With the aging population increasing, it is important to identify effective psychological and spiritual support factors to help individuals experience the aging process in a healthier and more meaningful way. This study aims to examine the effect of spiritual transcendence and kinesiophobia on successful aging. A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive survey method was used in this research. The study was conducted between February and July 2025 with 871 elderly individuals. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0. Machine learning analysis and estimation were performed using the R programming language version 4.1.3. The mean age of the participants was 70.75 ± 5.40. According to regression analysis, the level of spiritual transcendence explains 51.9% of the level of successful aging (R²=0.519), and this relationship was found to be statistically significant (t = 30.619, p<0.001). When spiritual transcendence and kinesiophobia levels were evaluated together, the explained variance ratio reached 67.5% (R²=0.675). An increase in spiritual transcendence (t = 14.122, p<0.001) and a decrease in kinesiophobia (t=-20.418, p<0.001) show a statistically significant relationship with the level of successful aging. SHAP values show the extent to which each variable influences the model's predictions and the magnitude of this influence. According to these values, kinesiophobia is identified as the most important variable in predicting the successful aging variable. The findings from our study indicate that supporting the psychological and spiritual resources of older adults plays an important role in strengthening the successful aging process. Longitudinal studies on successful aging are recommended.

PurposeTo explore supportive care needs and patient preferences among women with stage III–IV breast cancer across the entire treatment journey, specifically examining how the urban–rural context shapes these experiences in Tasikmalaya, Indonesia.Patients and MethodsThis qualitative study recruited 10 women with stage III–IV breast cancer receiving routine care (chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and/or follow-up) at Jasa Kartini Hospital, Tasikmalaya. Participants were purposively sampled. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews (audio-recorded) and field notes. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted following Braun and Clarke. Reporting was guided by the COREQ checklist.ResultsParticipants experienced treatment delays ranging from 1 to 6 years. Five key findings regarding supportive care needs and preferences were identified: (1) a critical need for credible education to address chemotherapy fears and health-system confusion; (2) a strong preference for psychosocial support through family accompaniment and peer-survivor networks; (3) a reliance on spiritual support (e.g. prayer and dhikr) for hope and acceptance; (4) urgent practical and non-medical financial needs (transport and logistics) that persist despite national insurance coverage; and (5) a dynamic shift in psychological experiences, moving from early distress toward death preparedness and acceptance.ConclusionSupportive care needs among women with advanced breast cancer are dynamic and significantly moderated by the urban–rural divide, which creates distinct logistical and non-medical economic hurdles even under universal health coverage. Oncology nursing practice should transition toward phase-sensitive care models that prioritize patient navigation to address “hidden” financial burdens and integrate culturally sensitive spiritual support to enhance patient resilience and treatment continuity throughout the complex illness trajectory.

Latinx youth with T1D experience systemic disparities in glycemic management and access to psychosocial support. Spiritual resources and needs may also impact diabetes distress and T1D management for youth and their caregivers. Professional chaplains are uniquely qualified to support patients and families with serious medical conditions; however, their services are not well understood and are underutilized in diabetes care. Our objectives included: (1) Identify spiritual experiences and needs of youth with T1D and their caregivers; and (2) Highlight opportunities for chaplains to provide spiritual care support to improve diabetes care. Qualitative analysis of spiritual care resources and needs reported in focus group sessions with Latinx youth (ages 13-17) with T1D and their caregivers. The framework method guided coding of transcripts and refinement of themes, which were interpreted based on professional spiritual care activities. Through constant comparison, a theory was developed to illustrate potential benefits of professional chaplain support in T1D. With 13 youth and 13 caregivers, we identified themes that bear relevance for spiritual care support in diabetes, which included: loss of hope; negative self-image and shame; difficulty accepting reality of condition or wearing a diabetes device; grief; disconnection from community support; diabetes technology enhancing one's life; and coping resources for spiritual well-being. These themes translate to practical benefits of a professional chaplain's clinical activities. Spiritual care pathways for T1D care illustrate the intended effects, methods, and interventions of professional chaplains for improving resilience, quality of life, and support for self-management practices. Latinx youth and caregivers described deep emotional experiences related to living with T1D and self-management practices, which can be viewed and addressed through the lens of spiritual care. Our research is the first-of-its-kind to identify specific unmet needs in T1D care that could benefit from chaplaincy as part of the multidisciplinary team. Spiritual struggle related to managing T1D (e.g., isolation from others with T1D, negative self-image, grief) warrants specialized support. Further investigation should examine preferences of youth with T1D and their caregivers, specifically for spiritual care services as part of their T1D care, and integration of professional chaplain support in T1D care.

This phenomenological study aimed to explore the psychosocial problems and spiritual coping strategies experienced by patients following myocardial infarction in eastern Turkey. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 21 individuals who had experienced myocardial infarction and were recruited using criterion-based purposive sampling. Data collection continued until thematic saturation was reached, and the data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological analysis method. The study was conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Three main themes and eight sub-themes emerged from the analysis, including the meaning attributed to myocardial infarction, psychosocial problems experienced, coping strategies, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Participants described myocardial infarction as a life-threatening and transformative experience associated with fear of death, psychological distress, social burden, and physical limitations. Spiritual coping strategies, including prayer, religious practices, family support, and meaning-making, were identified as important mechanisms facilitating adaptation and emotional resilience. These findings highlight the importance of integrating psychosocial assessment, spiritual support, and holistic nursing approaches into post-myocardial infarction care.

ABSTRACT As climate events intensify, understanding how spiritual capital fosters resilience in Islamic contexts is crucial for social work. This research explores the role of religion in influencing and mediating responses to natural hazards in Oman. This qualitative study examines the currents of lived Islam that take explicit stances on questions related to natural hazards. It employs interviews with 42 participants, including social workers, religious guides, employees of non-governmental organizations, and people affected by natural hazards. Drawing on extensive primary data, the findings suggest that climate events can impact communities in diverse ways, often resulting in distinct experiences for individuals within the same neighborhood. Based on spiritual capital and resilience, the impacts of climate events and individuals’ responses vary by level of capital. Spiritual capital significantly influences how individuals respond to natural hazards, underscoring the importance of integrating all aspects of human nature with a spiritual dimension in Islamic societies. It emphasizes that natural hazards convey messages that, when correctly interpreted, can enhance faith and stability. Education, practice, and policy implications have been identified, including the development of social work curricula that incorporate spiritual capital and the integration of spiritual support into disaster resilience frameworks.

Culturally mediated recovery: A cross-perspective qualitative study of psychosocial treatment for drug dependence in South Korea.

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder marked by difficulties in social interaction, communication impairments and repetitive behaviours. Depending on the degree of the illness and each person’s particular strengths and problems, autism can have a variety of effects on both individuals and families. Caring for a child with autism is complex and demanding, placing considerable emotional and social burdens on parents.AimThis study explored the lived experiences of parents caring for children living with autism spectrum disorder at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital.MethodAn explorative qualitative research approach was employed in this study. A purposive sampling technique was used to interview 10 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Data were collected with an interview guide and analysed using thematic content analysis.ResultsThe findings of this study underscore the profound emotional, social, psychological and financial challenges faced by parents caring for children with autism. Many participants reported experiences of stigma, spiritual accusations and marital difficulties associated with caregiving. Despite these adversities, parents demonstrated resilience by adopting various coping strategies, including behavioural and lifestyle adaptations, reliance on faith and spiritual support and importantly, consciously disregarding negative societal attitudes.ConclusionThese findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive and coordinated support systems, including psychological counselling, marital therapy and rehabilitation support services, to assist parents in navigating the complex challenges of caring for children with autism spectrum disorder. Implementing such interventions has the potential to reduce parental burden, mitigate stigma and enhance the overall well-being of both children with autism and their caregivers.

This study aimed to understand the experiences of Jordanian parents of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and how this condition impacted their quality of life and their day-to-day life experiences. The study used a descriptive phenomenological design. Forty parents who had children being cared for in a paediatric cardiac ward were interviewed. Three interrelated experiential patterns emerged: parents’ profound emotional changes after diagnosis, their continuing adaptation to challenges of caring for their child with social, spiritual and financial support, and the need for information to enhance their participation in care. Parenting a child with CHD is a significant life transition that is marked by uncertainty, emotional distress and adjustment. These experiences were influenced by family dynamics, spiritual coping, and financial constraints of the Jordanian healthcare system. The results suggest the need for family-focused education and psychosocial support to build parents’ confidence and decrease uncertainty to improve their long-term ability to manage their parental roles.

Spiritual care is a core component of high-quality palliative care, yet persistent gaps remain between health care systems, professional chaplaincy, and patients' home religious communities. While patients and families frequently desire spiritual support at the end of life, evidence suggests that spiritual needs are often insufficiently addressed by medical teams and inconsistently supported by local congregations. Moreover, spiritual care delivered by community clergy when disconnected from contemporary palliative care principles may, in some cases, unintentionally contribute to delayed hospice referral and increased use of aggressive, nonbeneficial treatments near the end of life. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature in palliative care, chaplaincy, and sociology of religion, this paper examines structural, educational, and cultural barriers that limit collaboration between palliative care teams and Catholic clergy in the United States. Engagement is analyzed at national, diocesan, and parish levels, with attention to opportunities for strengthening clergy formation, institutional partnerships, and lay ministry involvement. The paper argues that systematic collaboration between palliative care professionals, Catholic clergy, permanent deacons, and lay ministers represents an underutilized strategy for improving holistic end-of-life care. It concludes with evidence-informed recommendations aligned with Catholic moral theology and palliative care best practices.

ABSTRACTAims and ObjectivesTo explore how the military coup, COVID‐19, and limited healthcare access affected the health and well‐being of Myanmar migrants.BackgroundMyanmar is among the poorest countries in Southeast Asia. The combined effects of COVID‐19, political instability, and civil conflict have created a humanitarian crisis, resulting in migrants having severely restricted access to food, water, healthcare, and basic rights.DesignA qualitative interview study.MethodsIn‐depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 32 Myanmar migrants living in Thailand (M = 38.5 years, SD = 11.6). The study followed COREQ reporting guidelines.ResultsParticipants described their experiences with COVID‐19 prevention measures amid uncertainty, reporting substantial psychological distress and high levels of stress. Religion—particularly Buddhism—served as a central coping mechanism, helping them manage fear and emotional challenges. Many emphasised maintaining their cultural identity, expressed limited interest in acculturating to Thai society, and hoped to return to Myanmar once conditions stabilised. Some younger migrants sought support from local organisations for COVID‐19 information and resources. Overall, participants relied on personal resilience, spirituality, and informal support networks to manage their health and well‐being.ConclusionsMyanmar migrants often depend on spiritual beliefs, self‐reliance, and community connections to cope with adversity. Culturally sensitive interventions are needed to improve access to healthcare and support migrants experiencing ongoing instability, high levels of stress, and limited formal resources.Relevance to Clinical PracticeWithin the context of patient care, the findings contribute new knowledge on the status of Myanmar migrants who are facing intersecting stressors in resettlement areas of Thailand. Limited access to resources for migrants poses significant barriers to seeking professional medical help. More insight into why Myanmar migrants do not seek help despite experiencing stress and having knowledge of available resources in Thailand is needed.Patient or Public ContributionMembers of the migrant community were interviewed, and community advocates were involved in the study.Positionality StatementThe research team, with backgrounds in social work, counselling, public health, and nursing and with experience working with Southeast Asian migrant communities, recognised that this familiarity may shape interpretation. To minimise bias, we engaged in reflexive journaling, discussed assumptions in team meetings, and bracketed personal perspectives during data collection and analysis. As the researchers held no authority over the participants, the interviews emphasised respect, active listening, and minimised power differentials. These practices helped ensure that the findings reflected participants' voices rather than researchers' expectations.

Experts have highlighted the need for standardized measures of patient and family experiences of serious illness care. To address this need, we developed surveys that can be used to derive patient-reported quality measures for use in assessment of home-based serious illness programs and community-based serious illness care. In preparation for field testing of draft patient survey instruments, we conducted an environmental scan of existing surveys and measures; convened an expert panel of primary care providers, survey research experts, patient representatives, leaders of serious illness programs, stakeholder organizations, and accrediting groups; conducted in-depth interviews with 23 seriously ill individuals and/or their family caregivers and 9 health care providers; and refined draft survey instruments via multiple rounds of cognitive interviews with 53 seriously ill individuals and/or their family caregivers. Expert panelists and in-depth interviewees agreed that the following core aspects of serious illness care were priorities for a patient survey: communication, access and responsiveness, shared decision making and advance care planning, symptom management, care continuity and coordination, emotional and spiritual support, attention to social determinants of health (through referrals and connections to resources), attention to caregiver needs, and medication management. Based on cognitive testing, survey wording was simplified (e.g., "health care options if you got sicker" for advance care planning, avoidance of terms like "coordinate"), items were reworded to encompass both telehealth and in-person visits, and the term "health care professionals" was finalized for assessment of community-based care. Through engagement of seriously ill individuals, family caregivers, and providers, we identified high-priority concepts for assessment in the Serious Illness Surveys for Home-Based Programs and Community-Based Care, allowing for collection of actionable information to inform quality monitoring and improvement.

The effect of perceived spiritual support on compassion fatigue and psychological resilience level in pediatric nurses.

Quality of end-of-life care for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer is often measured using administrative measures. We surveyed 200 bereaved caregivers of AYAs (died 2003-2019 at age 12-39 after receiving care at one of three sites) to elicit perspectives about care quality in 7 domains. Quality of care was highest for relationships with clinicians (63% caregivers considered all aspects high quality), and lowest for psychosocial and spiritual care (32%). Comfort and symptom management, quality of life, relationships with clinicians, medical care and treatment, and care needs and independence were rated as highly important to caregivers and AYAs, with all items exceeding a prespecified threshold for importance (p < 0.001); most communication and decision-making items also met this threshold, while most psychosocial and spiritual support items fell below this threshold. Caregivers affirmed priorities in AYA end-of-life care, which may help align care delivery with what matters most to patients and families.

To explore women's expectations and experiences of care and support from pregnancy to childbirth in Burkina Faso, with a focus on the role and impact of companions and providers. An exploratory qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with purposively sampled participants and employing reflexive thematic analysis. Two public hospitals in urban Burkina Faso having implemented the 'QUALIty DECision-making by women and providers for appropriate use of caesarean section' intervention. 24 purposively selected postpartum women with variation in terms of parity, mode of birth, labour companionship experiences, education level and occupation were interviewed before discharge from the hospital. The two themes generated from the analysis elucidate how women rely on providers and companions to navigate uncertainty and vulnerability experienced during pregnancy and childbirth. Women viewed providers as essential for managing the biomedical risks of childbirth and voiced their need for care at critical moments. They expected companions to enhance the non-clinical aspects of their experiences by providing spiritual support and alleviating feelings of loneliness. However, participants also expressed ambivalence about companions witnessing intimate aspects of their birth experience and valued the ability to choose a companion as means to preserve personal integrity. Both providers and labour companions play an essential role in enhancing women's experiences of pregnancy and childbirth in Burkina Faso. Additional research and programmatic efforts are needed to support women's equitable participation in patient-provider interactions and operationalise the notion of choice of a labour companion in a contextually appropriate manner.

Spiritual and religious concerns are an integral yet often overlooked component of distress in cancer care. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Distress Thermometer (DT) includes a "spiritual/religious concerns" item on its Problem List, but little is known about how this item is used or how it informs clinical care. This targeted review examined how spiritual distress is identified and addressed using the DT in oncology settings. A PubMed search yielded 44 articles; six met inclusion criteria. Most studies were cross-sectional, conducted outside the United States, and varied widely in design, populations, and measurement tools. Findings suggest that spiritual/religious concerns are endorsed by a meaningful subset of patients-especially during active treatment or at critical points such as diagnosis or recurrence-and often coincide with high distress scores. However, prevalence rates varied significantly (5%-60%), and few studies evaluated whether positive screens led to referrals or meaningful spiritual support. Only two studies used validated measures of spiritual well-being alongside the DT, and some findings-such as unexpectedly strong correlations between spiritual well-being and anxiety/depression-warrant further investigation. Despite its inclusion in a widely used screening tool, the spiritual/religious concerns item remains underutilized and poorly understood. This review identifies major gaps in understanding when and how spiritual concerns arise, what influences their reporting, and how needs are addressed in practice. In the United States, where the DT is routinely collected, these gaps present a clear opportunity for targeted research and implementation efforts to improve holistic, values-aligned cancer care through better spiritual support integration.

Chronic childhood illness is an experience marked by ongoing challenges, the effects of which extend to the emotional sphere of caregivers. This study aimed to understand the meanings attributed by caregivers to their children's illness during pediatric hospitalization, based on listening to their experiences and subjective perceptions. This was a qualitative, exploratory study conducted with 24 caregivers of children with complex chronic conditions admitted to the pediatric ward of a public university hospital. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Bardin's content analysis technique. Five central categories emerged from the analysis of the narratives: (1) the unpredictability of the disease and powerlessness in the face of the unknown; (2) spirituality as a pillar of coping, highlighting the role of religiosity in coping; (3) the support network as an element of emotional support; (4) the child as a source of strength and meaning, highlighting the construction of an emotional bond and admiration for the children; and (5) the path to be followed in the construction of palliative care with these families. The discourses revealed feelings of fear, overload, and insecurity. The results highlight the complexity of the caregiving experience in chronic contexts, with an emphasis on the emotional and spiritual dimensions of the suffering experienced. The findings underscore the need to integrate emotional and spiritual support into routine care, acknowledging faith as a coping mechanism. Healthcare teams should establish clear and compassionate communication regarding palliative care from early stages.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer. In Bali, among 3020 cancer cases from 2017 to 2019 in women, breast cancer accounted as most common for 15% of cases. Good spiritual well-being is considered a protective factor against suicidal ideation and the severity of depression or other mental disorders, where patients with high spirituality can overcome depression and manage stress better. Methods: This research is a descriptive observational study using a cross-sectional design aimed at examining the correlation between levels of depression and spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients at the hospital. The level of depression was measured with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Spiritual level was measured using the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS). Results: A total of 40 participants from breast cancer patients were included in this study. Most breast cancer patients had moderate (57.5%) to high (42.5%) levels of spirituality, with none reporting low spirituality. Nearly half (47.5%) showed no signs of depression, while 45% experienced mild depression and 7.5% had moderate depression. No patients had severe depression. Study found higher spirituality associated with lower average depression scores (p = 0.009), indicating that greater spiritual well-being may help reduce depression in breast cancer patients. Conclusion: This study concludes that higher levels of spirituality are significantly associated with lower levels of depression in breast cancer patients. Spiritual well-being play a protective role in supporting emotional health, suggesting that incorporating spiritual support into patient care may help reduce depression and improve overall mental well-being in individuals facing chronic illness.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a scenario of physical, social, and emotional illness that significantly increased the need for spiritual care, particularly in hospital environments, where individuals were more vulnerable, fragile, and anxious. In this context, the hospital chaplain played a strategic role within the multidisciplinary care team for hospitalized patients, serving as the primary provider of spiritual care. This article presents an experiential report of the role of hospital chaplains in providing spiritual support to the multidisciplinary team, patients, and their families in a nonprofit, religiously affiliated hospital in the Brazilian Amazon during the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergence of the coronavirus in the hospital led to decisions that reoriented care routines to ensure quality services and the safety of both patients and staff, significantly impacting the chaplaincy service's provision of spiritual support. Like other healthcare professionals, chaplains adapted their practices. Notable changes included restricted access to patients and family members, the elimination of physical contact, continuous use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and strict adherence to hygiene protocols. Visits became shorter and required greater preparation, aiming to ensure safety for all. The chaplaincy's collaboration with the multidisciplinary team was essential in providing emotional and spiritual assistance. Through worship services, prayers, active listening, and a welcoming presence, chaplains supported professionals in facing fear, exhaustion, and grief, thereby strengthening resilience. Ultimately, spiritual care became a key pillar for collective recovery, fostering hope, meaning, and daily renewal amid the crisis.