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Updated: May 28, 2026

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 16, 2011
Patients' views of CAM as spiritual practice
Anita Ulrich1, Lotte Evron, Ann Ostenfeld-Rosenthal
1Institute of Health Promotion, University of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg. aulrich@mail.dk
Objectives:
This paper explores Danish cancer patients' narratives on spiritual beliefs, practices and the relationship these practices may have to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
Design:
Narrative inquiry was used to understand how spiritual beliefs and practices might be related to CAM. Thirty-two cancer patients, family, friends and alternative practitioners were followed up over a two year period by face to face interview, telephone and focus groups.
Results:
Although religious and spiritual issues were not manifestly expressed by many of the subjects, these issues were significantly elaborated upon in narratives by four female participants to warrant more detailed consideration and analysis.
Conclusion:
It is suggested that for some cancer patients CAM may function, not just as a treatment for cancer related symptoms and side effects, but also as a form of spiritual practice. For some individuals a belief in the 'spiritual' role of CAM per se may be analogous to religious belief.
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