ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2024
The role of spirituality in pain experiences among adults with cancer: an explanatory sequential mixed methods study.
Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Relationship between spiritual pain, physical pain, and existential wellbeing among cancer patients: a correlational study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Spirituality as a Means of Adaptation to Life and Illness for Oncology Patients: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Studies between 2019 and 2025.Journal of religion and health · 2026Article
- Understanding meanings and lived experiences of spirituality among adults with cancer.Journal of psychosocial oncology · 2026Article
- Spirituality issues in cancer patients at Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Palliative & supportive care · 2025Article
- Interventions to support spirituality among adults with cancer: a scoping review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Article
- Spiritual wellbeing and psychiatric comorbidity among patients with advanced-stage solid tumor cancer.Indian journal of psychiatry · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeFoundational research demonstrates that spirituality may affect the way people with cancer experience pain. One potential route is through alterations in thoughts and beliefs, such as pain-related catastrophizing. The purpose of this study is to understand whether spirituality impacts pain experiences through pain-related catastrophizing.
methodsThis explanatory sequential mixed methods study was informed by an adapted Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms. Data were collected via online surveys (N = 79) and follow-up qualitative interviews (N = 25). Phase 1 employed Empirical Bayesian analysis. Phase 2 used deductive content analysis. Phase 3 involved creating a mixed methods joint display to integrate findings and draw meta inferences.
resultsResults indicate that total spiritual well-being was directly negatively associated with pain-related catastrophizing, and indirectly negatively associated with the outcomes of pain interference, pain severity, and pain-related distress. Qualitative categories highlight the supportive role of spirituality when facing pain, while also shedding light on the limitations of spirituality in the context of some pain (i.e., severe, neuropathic, and/or chronic). Mixed methods findings reveal the importance of spirituality for some people as they face cancer and cancer-related pain, as well as the need for integrating spirituality as part of a larger pain management plan.
conclusionsThis research advances supportive cancer care by exploring the complex role of spirituality in pain experiences. Findings will inform further exploration into the role of spirituality in supporting holistic symptom management in the context of cancer, as well as developing and testing interventions to enhance spirituality and address symptom-related suffering.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.