Impact of informal cancer caregiving across the cancer experience: A systematic literature review of quality of life

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Palliative & Supportive Care, 2020, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 220-240
Ochoq, Carol; Buchnam Lunsford, N; Lee Smith, Judith

Informal caregiving may likely increase as the number of cancer survivors grows. Caregiving responsibilities can impact caregivers’ quality of life (QOL). Understanding the current state of the science regarding caregiving QOL could help inform future research and intervention development.

Submitting to God's will: attitudes and beliefs of Moroccan Muslim women regarding mourning and remembrance

Death Studies, 2019 43(8) p.478-488

Ahaddour, Chaïma; Van den Branden, Stef; Broeckaert, Bert

This study aimed to elicit the attitudes and beliefs of middle-aged and elderly Moroccan Muslim women regarding mourning and remembrance, to identify whether differences are observable between middle-aged and elderly participants, to explore the role of religion and to document how the actual attitudes of the participants relate to normative Islamic literature. Interviews were conducted with middle-aged and elderly Moroccan women living in Belgium (n = 30) and with experts in the field (n = 15). This study reveals that the religious beliefs have a great impact on the views of Muslim women. Striking similarities were found between participants' views and normative Islamic literature.

Spiritual care at the end of life: does educational intervention focused on a broad definition of spirituality increase utilization of chaplain spiritual support in hospice?

Journal of Palliative Medicine, 2019 22(8) p.939-944

Soroka, Jacek T.; Collins, Lori A., et al

Despite the benefits of spiritual care, evidence shows that many patients and caregivers (P/C) refuse it when a hospice team offers it, possibly resulting in unnecessary suffering. The aim of this study was to better understand what contributes to spiritual support acceptance in hospice care. This research suggests that educational intervention that explains spiritual care in hospice and its benefits contributes importantly to greater acceptance and allows P/C to gain the benefits of spiritual support during end-of-life care.

Psychological impairments burden and spirituality in caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients

European Journal of Cancer Care; 2018 27(1)
Lai, C; Luciani, M; Di Mario, C; Galli, F; Morelli, E; Ginobbi, P; Aceto, P; Lombardo, L

Spirituality is mostly studied in the context of terminally ill patients but this study investigates the association between spirituality, burden, and psychological state in caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients.  The authors conclude that in these caregivers, higher levels of intrinsic spirituality predicted a higher amount of time devote to caregiving, and also protected against the emotional distress linked to providing assistance.

A systematic review of religious beliefs about major end-of-life issues in the five major world religions

Supportive and Palliative Care 2017 15(5) 609-22

Rajshekhar Chakraborty, Areej R. El-Jawahri, Mark R. Litzow, Karen L Syrjala, Aric D. Parnes, Shahrukh K. Hashmi

The objective of this study was to examine the religious/spiritual beliefs of followers of the five major world religions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism) about frequently encountered medical situations at the end of life (EoL).

Fulltext available in  Supportive and Palliative Care

Spiritual beliefs, practices, and needs at the end of life: Results from a New Zealand national hospice study

Palliative and Supportive Care, 2016, 30th August

Richard Egan, Rod MacLeod, Chrystal Jaye, Rob McGee, Joanne Baxter, Peter Herbison, Sarah Wood

The authors report the results of a project to investigate people's understanding of spirituality and spiritual care practices in New Zealand hospices.  Participants included patients, family members and staff.  They found that spirituality is broadly understood and considered important for all three of the populations studied. The patient and family populations had high spiritual needs that included a search for meaning, peace of mind, and a degree of certainty in an uncertain world. The healthcare professionals in the hospices surveyed seldom explicitly met the needs of patients and families. Staff had spiritual needs, but organizational support was sometimes lacking in attending to these needs.

Full text available in Palliative and Supportive Care

Spiritual care: which is the best assessment tool for palliative settings?

International journal of palliative nursing, Sep 2015, vol. 21, no. 9, p. 430-438

Blaber, Michael, Jone, June, Willis, Derek

This paper analyses the benefits and drawbacks of using spiritual history-taking tools, considering four of the most widely used tools-FICA, FAITH, SPIRITual and HOPE. The authors conclude that spiritual history-taking tools do have an important role in identifying the spiritual needs of patients at the end of life, with the 'HOPE' tool most comprehensively addressing the spirituality themes identified as important within the healthcare literature.

Fulltext available in International Journal of Palliative Nursing

Available in print in Arthur Rank House Library, Brookfields Hospital

Existential concerns about death: a qualitative study of dying patients in a Danish hospice

American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, June 2015  32(4):427-36

Moestrup L;  Hansen HP.

Research suggests that addressing dying patients' existential concerns can improve their quality of life. Here, the authors aimed to illuminate dying patients' existential concerns about the impending death through a descriptive analysis of semi-structured interviews with 17 patients in Danish hospices. The main findings demonstrated how the patients faced the imminent death without being anxious of death but sorrowful about leaving life.

Spirituality in palliative and supportive care (special issue)

Palliative & Supportive Care, February 2015, 13 (1)

This special issue focuses on spirituality and, among others, includes the following articles:

• Meaning of life in patients with cancer
• Mindfulness in informal caregivers of palliative patients
• Do spiritual patients want spiritual interventions
• The role of Chaplains in end of life decision-making
• Guidelines for conducting a spiritual assessment

Fulltext available in Palliative & Supportive Care

This links to the contents page.  To access the articles you will need your Athens account details or contact the library where they can be downloaded for you.

Is religion harmful or beneficial at the end of life?

European Journal of Palliative Care,  2014, Vol/iss  21/4 (188-92)

Nimisha Panchmatia

Nimisha Panchmatia has reviewed the literature in an attempt to understand the role and impact – whether positive or negative – of religion and spirituality for patients nearing the end of life.

Full text available in European Journal of Palliative Care

Available in print in Arthur Rank House Library, Brookfields Hoapital

"Spirituality, suffering, and healing": a learning option for Western Australian medical students.

Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, March 2014, vol./is. 47/3(659-65)

Bridge DT, Bennett KS

The authors describe a two week learning option they developed for year 5 medical students which emphasizes learning from the patient and from each other.

Available from Elsevier in Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

Available in print at Arthur Rank House, Brookfields Hospital

Complicated spiritual grief: a deductive inquiry following the loss of a loved one

Death Studies, 01 April 2014, vol./is. 38/4(268-281)

Burke, Laurie A., Neimeyer, Robert A., Young, Amanda J., Bonin, Elizabeth Piazza, Davis, Natalie L.

Using participants' written responses to open-ended questions along with systematic exploration of this topic with a five-member focus group, the authors designed this qualitative study to better understand the first-hand experiences of bereaved individuals who have suffered a crisis of faith after the death of a loved one.  The study clarifies the construct of complicated spiritual grief, and lays the groundwork for development of more specific assessment and treatment of this condition.