Spirituality in coping with pain in oncological patients: systematic review

Abstract

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The relationship between spirituality and cancer coping is still a challenge for comprehensive health care. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze whether the level of spirituality directly interferes with clinical markers, such as pain intensity in people with cancer. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between spirituality and pain coping and the strategies used in adult cancer patients. CONTENTS: This is a systematic review, registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews: CRD42018108835. The search was performed in Pubmed, Medline, LILACS, Scielo, and ScienceDirect databases until May 2019, available in all languages. The search strategy was defined for the PubMed database as a parameter: (neoplasms or cancer) AND (spirituality) AND (pain). Adults patients with cancer of both genders who faced pain were studied. Studies that did not address the pain associated with spirituality were excluded. Of the 588 studies found, 13 were eligible. Among these, nine studies showed that spirituality contributes to positive pain coping. Regarding the level of spirituality, higher spiritual well-being was associated with lower pain intensity in three studies. The spiritual strategies used were mindfulness, meditation, relaxation, prayer, support from religious leaders and members. CONCLUSION: Despite the few studies found, the findings broaden the knowledge about the positive relationship between spirituality and pain coping and underline the spiritual strategies for the management of this health condition in cancer patients.

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