Abstract
This study examined the effectiveness of a group spiritual care program on leukemia patients' hope and anxiety. This randomized controlled trial involved 94 leukemia patients hospitalized in the two oncology departments of Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Hamadan, Iran. This study was carried out from November 2022 to April 2023. The participants were selected based on the study inclusion criteria using the convenience sampling method then they were randomized to either the experimental (N = 46) or the control group (N = 48). The participants completed the written informed consent form, the demographic information form, and Beck's anxiety and Snyder's hope questionnaires. The spiritual care program was provided in six sessions (one 45–60 min per week), including a spiritual needs assessment, religious care, spiritual care, psychological-spiritual care, supportive-spiritual care, and evaluation. The participants then completed Beck's anxiety and Snyder's hope questionnaires immediately, one and two months after the intervention. At baseline, there was no significant between-group difference in leukemia patients' mean scores of hope (P = 0.313) and anxiety (P = 0.141); however, immediately, one and two months after the intervention, a significant between-group difference in the mean scores of hope and anxiety was observed (P < 0.001). Also, from baseline to two months after the intervention, a significant decrease and increase in anxiety and hope mean scores, respectively, were observed in the experimental group (within-group difference) (P < 0.001). However, in the control group, from baseline to two months after the intervention, a significant increase and decrease in mean scores of anxiety and hope, respectively, were observed (within-group difference) (P < 0.001). As a result, it is recommended that nurses should consider providing spiritual care to leukemia patients as a part of holistic care.
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Acknowledgements
This article results from a project approved by Hamadan University of Medical Sciences (Ethics Code: IR.UMSHA.REC.1401.624 and Research Project Number: 140111049666) as a financial provider. The authors thank the patients, their caregivers, nurses, oncologists at Shahid Beheshti Hospital, and others who helped us conduct this study.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Mohammad Torabi contributed to designing and conducting the research, analyzing the data, and writing the article. Vahid Yousofvand contributed to designing and conducting the research, analyzing the data, writing the article, and submitting the article. Reza Mohammadi contributed to designing and conducting the research and writing the article. Fatemeh Karbin contributed to designing and conducting the research. Hamid Ranjbaran contributed to designing and conducting the research.
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The present study has been approved by the ethics committee of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences (Ethics Code: IR.UMSHA.REC.1401.624, Clinical Trial Registration Center Code: IRCT20160110025929N40 and date: 05/11/2022). Patients are provided with complete information regarding how to conduct the study. Oral and written informed consent was obtained from all participants before participating in the research and publishing the results. As part of ethical research principles, pamphlets were distributed to the control group after completing the study (based on the type of leukemia).
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Torabi, M., Yousofvand, V., Mohammadi, R. et al. Effectiveness of Group Spiritual Care on Leukemia Patients' Hope and Anxiety in Iran: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Relig Health 63, 1413–1432 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01866-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01866-9