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Understanding meanings and lived experiences of spirituality among adults with cancer
Megan Miller1, Paul Galchutt2, Molly Meyers1
1School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Purpose:
To explore subjective meanings and lived experiences of spirituality among adults with cancer.
Methods:
Participants (age ≥ 18, any type/stage of cancer, English-speaking) were recruited from one cancer center. Semi-structured interviews elicited what "spirituality" means and how it was experienced when facing cancer. Data were analyzed using interpretive thematic analysis.
Results:
25 participants from diverse religious/spiritual backgrounds, primarily white (92%) and female (64%), with an average age of 59 years (range: 43-90), most often described spirituality as connection with something greater. Spirituality in daily life was described as participation in spiritual practices, engagement in service and nurturing others, finding and/or creating sacredness everyday, holding a supportive worldview, and relating with mortality.
Conclusions:
Meanings and experiences of spirituality vary widely among people with cancer. Findings underscore the need to tailor spirituality screening. Future research should focus on better understanding spirituality across diverse populations and developing interventions to support spiritual care.
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