Identification of Concepts of Spiritual Care in Iranian Peoples with Multiple Sclerosis: A Qualitative Study

• Published in: Journal of religion and health Vol. 58; no. 3; pp. 949 - 964
• Main Authors: Noormohammadi, Mohammad Reza, Etemadifar, Shahram, Rabiei, Leili, Deris, Fatemeh, Jivad, Nahid, Masoudi, Reza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer 01-06-2019; Springer US; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Aging; Caregivers; Clinical Psychology; Content analysis; Disease; Female; Health services; Hospice care; Humans; Identity; Interviews as Topic; Iran; Iranian culture; Male; Meaning; Medical personnel; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis - psychology; Multiple Sclerosis - therapy; Nurses; Nursing; Original Paper; OTHER ORIGINAL PAPERS; Patients; Public Health; Qualitative Research; Religiosity; Religious Studies; Self Concept; Social workers; Spiritual Therapies; Spirituality; Iran; Iran; Multiple sclerosis (MS); Spiritual care; Content analysis
• ISSN: 0022-4197; 1573-6571
• DOI: 10.1007/s10943-017-0549-z

Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) often needs attention combined with receiving the holistic care. Attention to spiritual care dimension is one of the most important aspects of care for these patients. This study aims at exploring and explaining dimensions of spiritual care for MS patients in care system of Iran. This study is conducted to explore the concept of spiritual care in care system of Iran during 2015-2016. Purposive sampling is done on 25 participants through unstructured interviews and observation of obtained data through conventional content analysis approach. Four themes of participants' experiences in spiritual care include restoration of identity essence and nature; disease as a factor for nearness to God; giving meaning to life; and disease as a facilitator for self-purification. Clear understanding of spiritual care dimensions and promoting knowledge in MS nurses as the caregivers play important roles in achieving the goals of health among patients in different cultures and religions. Given the results of this study, the themes such as the restoration of identity essence and nature, the disease as a factor for nearness to God, giving meaning to life and the disease as a facilitator for self-purification play important roles in explaining the concept of spiritual care in patients with MS. Therefore, the MS nurses and other health professionals need to effectively and successfully integrate the concept of spiritual care with their professional performance by deep understanding of this concept and try to provide holistic care to respond to MS patients' intertwined needs.