Spiritual aspects of care for chronic Muslim patients: A qualitative study

For Muslim patients confronted with chronic diseases, spirituality is an important resource for coping. These patients expect the health team to take care of the spiritual aspects. This study aimed to explore the spiritual aspects of care for chronic Muslim patients.

This qualitative-descriptive exploratory study was conducted in Isfahan, Iran, on a purposive sample of 25 participants, including patients, caregivers, nurses, physicians, psychologists, social workers, and religious counselors. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed through conventional content analysis.

The spiritual aspects of care for chronic Muslim patients fell into four main themes. The first theme was religious aspect with the three subthemes of doing religious rituals, attention to religious values, and providing the possibility of performing religious practices. The second theme, i.e., pastoral aspect, consisted of three subthemes, namely giving consultation for finding the meaning of life/death, helping to achieve intellectual transcendence, and improve the patient's communication with herself/himself and others. The third theme was psychological aspect, the four subthemes of which included instilling calm to the patient, helping the patient to adapt, instilling hope, and empathy. Finally, the fourth theme was a supportive aspect and included the four subthemes of maintaining patient's basic needs, continuity of care at home, creating awareness, and acceptance and observance of patient's respect.

Providing care based on the spiritual needs of chronic patients requires knowledge and skills that the health-care team need to provide through inter professional collaboration.