Correlation of spirituality with short-term outcomes after lumbar spine surgery: a prospective observational study

Spirituality and religiosity have repeatedly been discussed as potential psychosocial resources that may influence recovery in chronic or life-threatening illnesses. Evidence in surgical settings, particularly within neurosurgery, is scarce and inconsistent. This study investigated whether daily spiritual experiences - as measured by the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) - are associated with postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery.

In this prospective observational study, patients scheduled for lumbar decompression or fusion surgery completed the DSES preoperatively. Clinical and patient-reported outcomes (pain intensity, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Short Form 36 (SF-36), Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were assessed before and three months after surgery. Correlation analyses explored associations between spirituality and postoperative functional and psychological recovery. In addition, an exploratory hierarchical regression analysis was performed for postoperative back pain.

The 115 patients, 56 (48.7%) male and 59 (51.3%) female, showed statistically significant improvements across all postoperative measures compared to baseline. An initial unadjusted analysis revealed a weak association (p = .048) between DSES scores and postoperative back pain. However, this finding did not remain statistically significant after correction for multiple testing and was not confirmed in the hierarchical regression model. No associations emerged between DSES scores and functional or psychological outcomes at three months.

Within this exploratory study, spirituality was not associated with and did not emerge as an independent predictor of patient-reported outcomes. The findings suggest that spirituality and religiosity in this context may reflect individual coping styles rather than determinants of short-term clinical recovery.