The experience of spirituality in family caregivers of adult and elderly cancer patients receiving palliative care: A meta‐synthesis

The experience of spirituality in family caregivers of adult and elderly cancer patients receiving palliative care: A meta‐synthesis

Introduction Spirituality is a multidimensional aspect of human experience. In the context of palliative care, it is an individual resource that can be used to cope with illness and to assign new meanings to suffering. Qualitative studies that aim to investigate the experience of spirituality and th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of cancer care Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. e13424 - n/a
Main Authors: Benites, Andrea Carolina, Rodin, Gary, Leite, Ana Carolina Andrade Biaggi, Nascimento, Lucila Castanheira, Santos, Manoel Antônio
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Hindawi Limited 01-07-2021
Subjects:
Cancer
Caregivers
Context
Nursing
Older people
Palliative care
Qualitative research
review
Spirituality
Synthesis
caregivers
cancer
qualitative research
spirituality
palliative care
review
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Summary:Introduction Spirituality is a multidimensional aspect of human experience. In the context of palliative care, it is an individual resource that can be used to cope with illness and to assign new meanings to suffering. Qualitative studies that aim to investigate the experience of spirituality and the needs of family caregivers in this context are rare. Objective This meta‐synthesis aimed to synthesise qualitative studies on the experience of spirituality in family caregivers of adult and elderly cancer patients receiving palliative care. Methods A systematic review was performed in six databases, and 14 studies were included in this meta‐synthesis. Results The results are presented as a thematic synthesis divided into two analytical themes: (1) The interweaving of spirituality with end‐of‐life care and (2) The dimensions of suffering and spirituality in the dying process of the loved one. Each analytical theme is explained by two descriptive themes. The results showed that family caregivers express their spirituality in a multidimensional way, giving meaning to the care provided and reassessing the meanings of their lives and their suffering. Conclusion Investigating the suffering and spiritual needs of family members in this context may be of value to inform comprehensive and multi‐professional psychosocial care.
Bibliography:Funding information
This study received funding through a research fellowship abroad and a research fellowship granted to the first author by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) grant #2019/02134‐0 and #2017/26542‐5. The authors were supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)—Finance Code 001 and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).
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ISSN:0961-5423
1365-2354
DOI:10.1111/ecc.13424