Spiritual Care Assessment and Intervention (SCAI) for Adult Outpatients With Advanced Cancer and Caregivers: A Pilot...

Although religion and spirituality are important to adults with cancer and their family caregivers, few studies have tested spiritual care interventions in the outpatient setting.

To determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of chaplain-delivered, semi-structured spiritual care to adult outpatients with advanced cancer and their caregivers.

In this pre/post pilot intervention study, board-certified chaplains utilized the Spiritual Care Assessment and Intervention (SCAI) framework during 4 individual sessions. Surveys at baseline and at 1, 6, and 12 weeks post-intervention assessed spiritual well-being, quality of life, depression, anxiety, and religious coping.

We enrolled U.S. adult outpatients with or without an eligible family caregiver. Eligible patients were at least 18 years old and at least 2 weeks post-diagnosis of incurable and advanced-stage lung or gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.

Of 82 eligible patients, 24 enrolled (29.3%); of 22 eligible caregivers, 18 enrolled (81.8%). Four planned chaplain visits were completed by 87.5% of patients and 77.8% of caregivers. All enrolled participants completed baseline surveys, and more than 75% completed follow-up surveys at 2 of 3 time points. More than 80% of patients and caregivers reported they would recommend the sessions to a friend or family member. Patients' spiritual well-being improved significantly at all timepoints compared to baseline: 1-week post (p < .006), 6-weeks post (p < .001), and 12-weeks post (p < .004).

Spiritual care through SCAI is feasible, acceptable, and shows promise in improving spiritual well-being and other important outcomes in advanced-stage cancer patients and family caregivers. Further investigation is warranted.