Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Missed Opportunity: Spirituality as a Bridge to Resilience in Latinos with Cancer

  • Psychological Exploration
  • Published:
Journal of Religion and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Going through adverse life events can help a person learn how to cope with life’s challenges, overcome them, learn from the adverse experiences, grow, and be positively transformed by them. Spirituality is a resource that supports adaptation and resilience to improve quality of life in patients with cancer or other chronic illnesses. For Latinos, spirituality is an important core cultural value. As such, it is crucial to pay close attention to how cultural values play a role in health-related concerns when caring for Latino cancer patients, and to how spirituality, being an important aspect of Latino culture, influences how Latinos adjust and cope with cancer. Understanding how to facilitate resilience in the face of potentially negative life events, such as cancer, can not only help Latino cancer patients in active treatment, but can also impact effectiveness of managing and coping with the consequences of cancer during survivorship.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abraido-Lanza, A. F., Guier, C., & Revenson, T. A. (1996). Coping and social support resources among Latinas with arthritis. Arthritis Care and Research, 9(6), 501–508.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Abraido-Lanza, A. F., Vasquez, E., & Echeverria, S. E. (2004). En las manos de Dios [in God’s hands]: Religious and other forms of coping among Latinos with arthritis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(1), 91–102. doi:10.1037/0022-006x.72.1.91.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Cancer Society. (2012). Cancer facts and figures. American Cancer Society. Accedido en from http://www.cancer.org/research/cancerfactsfigures/cancerfactsfigures/cancer-facts-figures-2012.

  • Aquino, V. V., & Zago, M. M. (2007). The meaning of religious beliefs for a group of cancer patients during rehabilitation. Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 15(1), 42–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ashing-Giwa, K. T., Padilla, G. V., Bohorquez, D. E., Tejero, J. S., & Garcia, M. (2006). Understanding the breast cancer experience of Latina women. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 24(3), 19–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ashing-Giwa, K. T., Padilla, G., Tejero, J., Kraemer, J., Wright, K., Coscarelli, A., & Hills, D. (2004). Understanding the breast cancer experience of women: A qualitative study of African American, Asian American, Latina and Caucasian cancer survivors. Psychooncology, 13(6), 408–428. doi:10.1002/pon.750.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aspinwall, L. G., & MacNamara, A. (2005). Taking positive changes seriously. Cancer, 104(11 Suppl), 2549–2556. doi:10.1002/cncr.21244.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aten, J. D., & Worthington, E. L, Jr. (2009). Next steps for clinicians in religious and spiritual therapy: An endpiece. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(2), 224–229. doi:10.1002/jclp.20562.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aziz, N., & Rowland, J. (2003). Trends and advances in cancer survivorship research: Challenges and opportunity. Radiation Oncology, 13(3), 248–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campesino, M., Belyea, M., & Schwartz, G. (2009). Spirituality and cultural identification among Latino and Non-Latino college students. Hispanic Health Care International, 7(2), 72–79. doi:10.1891/1540-4153.7.2.72.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campesino, M., & Schwartz, G. E. (2006). Spirituality among Latinas/os: Implications of culture in conceptualization and measurement. ANS Advances Nursing Science, 29(1), 69–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coreil, J., Corvin, J. A., Nupp, R., Dyer, K., & Noble, C. (2012). Ethnicity and cultural models of recovery from breast cancer. Ethnicity and Health, 17(3), 291–307. doi:10.1080/13557858.2011.616188.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costanzo, E. S., Ryff, C. D., & Singer, B. H. (2009). Psychosocial adjustment among cancer survivors: findings from a national survey of health and well-being. Health Psychology, 28(2), 147–156. doi:10.1037/a0013221.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Culver, J. L., Arena, P. L., Antoni, M. H., & Carver, C. S. (2002). Coping and distress among women under treatment for early stage breast cancer: Comparing African Americans. Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites. Psychooncology, 11(6), 495–504. doi:10.1002/pon.615.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dyer, A. R. (2011). Spirituality and cancer: An introduction. Southern Medical Journal, 104(4), 287–288. doi:10.1097/SMJ.0b013e31820677cb.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Earvolino-Ramirez, M. (2007). Resilience: A concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 42(2), 73–82. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6198.2007.00070.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Erwin, D. O., Johnson, V. A., Trevino, M., Duke, K., Feliciano, L., & Jandorf, L. (2007). A comparison of African American and Latina social networks as indicators for culturally tailoring a breast and cervical cancer education intervention. Cancer, 109(Suppl2), 368–377. doi:10.1002/cncr.22356.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fatone, A. M., Moadel, A. B., Foley, F. W., Fleming, M., & Jandorf, L. (2007). Urban voices: The quality-of-life experience among women of color with breast cancer. Palliative and Supportive Care, 5(2), 115–125.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • George, L. K., Larson, D. B., Koenig, H. G., & McCullough, M. E. (2000). Spirituality and health: What we know, what we need to know. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19(1), 102–116. doi:10.1521/jscp.2000.19.1.102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grafton, E., Gillespie, B., & Henderson, S. (2010). Resilience: The power within. Oncology Nursing Forum, 37(6), 698–705.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grotberg, E. (1995). A guide to promoting resilience in children: Strenghtening the human spirit. Early childhood development: Practice and reflections, Bernard Van Leer Foundation, Retrieved January 16, 2013 from http://resilnet.uiuc.edu/library/grotb95b.html.

  • Harris, B. A., Berger, A. M., Mitchell, S. A., Steinberg, S. M., Baker, K. L., Handel, D. L., & Pavletic, S. Z. (2010). Spiritual well-being in long-term survivors with chronic graft-versus-host disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. J Support Oncol, 8(3), 119–125.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howe, H. L., X, Wu, Ries, L., Cokkinides, V., Ahmed, F., Jemal, A., & Edwards, B. (2006). Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975–2003, featuring cancer among U.S. Hispanic/Latino populations. Cancer, 107, 1711–1742.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Josephson, A. M., & Peteet, J. R. (2007). Talking with patients about spirituality and worldview: practical interviewing techniques and strategies. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 30(2), 181–197. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2007.01.005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Juarez, G., Ferrell, B., & Borneman, T. (1998). Perceptions of quality of life in hispanic patients with cancer. Cancer Practice, 6(6), 318–324.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jurkowski, J. M., Kurlanska, C., & Ramos, B. M. (2010). Latino Women’s Spiritual Beliefs Related to Health. American Journal of Health Promotion, 25(1), 19–25. doi:10.4278/ajhp.080923-QUAL-211.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kellison, L. J. S. (2002). An exploration of culture and coping: The experience of Latina women with breast cancer. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 63(5-B), 2588.

  • Koenig, H. G., George, L. K., & Titus, P. (2004). Religion, Spirituality, and Health in Medically Ill Hospitalized Older Patients. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 52(4), 554–562. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52161.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Londoño, Y. (2009). El proceso de adaptación en las mujeres con cáncer de mama. Revista Investigación y Educación en Enfermería, XXVII, 70–77.

  • Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71(3), 543–562. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00164.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maliski, S. L., Husain, M., Connor, S. E., & Litwin, M. S. (2012). Alliance of support for low-income Latino men with prostate cancer: God, doctor, and self. Journal of Religion and Health, 51(3), 752–762. doi:10.1007/s10943-010-9369-0.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, L. (2012). Spirituality as a lived experience: Exploring the essence of spirituality in later life. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 75, 95–113.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, L. K. (2013). Navigating hardships in old age: Exploring the relationship between spirituality and resilience in later life. Qualitative Health Research, 23, 568–575.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meraviglia, M. G. (1999). Critical analysis of spirituality and its empirical indicators. Prayer and meaning in life. J Holistic Nursing, 17(1), 18–33.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meraviglia, M. (2006). Effects of spirituality in breast cancer survivors. Oncology Nursing Forum, 33(1), E1–E7. doi:10.1188/06.ONF.E1-E7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mickley, J., & Soeken, K. (1993). Religiousness and hope in Hispanic- and Anglo-American women with breast cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 20(8), 1171–1177.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moberg, D. O. (2005). Research in spirituality, religion, and aging. Journal ofGerontological Social Work, 45(1/2), 11–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Molina, Y., Yi, J. C., Martinez-Gutierrez, J., Reding, K. W., Yi-Frazier, J. P., & Rosenberg, A. R. (2014). Resilience among patients across the cancer continuum: Diverse perspectives. Clinical Journal Oncology Nursing, 18(1), 93–101. doi:10.1188/14.cjon.93-101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mueller, P. S., Plevak, D. J., & Rummans, T. A. (2001). Religious involvement, spirituality, and medicine: implications for clinical practice. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 76(12), 1225–1235. doi:10.4065/76.12.1225.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Napoles, A. M., Ortiz, C., O’Brien, H., Sereno, A. B., & Kaplan, C. P. (2011). Coping resources and self-rated health among Latina breast cancer survivors. Oncology Nursing Forum, 38(5), 523–531. doi:10.1188/11.ONF.523-531.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newman, R. (2005). APA’s resilience initiative. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(3), 227–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Post, B. C., & Wade, N. G. (2009). Religion and spirituality in psychotherapy: a practice-friendly review of research. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(2), 131–146. doi:10.1002/jclp.20563.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Puchalski, C., Dorff, R., & Hendi, I. (2004). Spirituality, religion, and healing in palliative care. Clinics Geriatric Medicine, 20(4), 689–714. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2004.07.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rowland, J. H., & Baker, F. (2005). Introduction: Resilience of cancer survivors across the lifespan. Cancer, 104(S11), 2543–2548. doi:10.1002/cncr.21487.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, R., Naishadham, D., & Jemal, A. (2012). Cancer statistics, 2012. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 62(1), 10–29. doi:10.3322/caac.20138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simoni, J. M., & Ortiz, M. Z. (2003). Mediational models of spirituality and depressive symptomatology among HIV-positive Puerto Rican women. Cultural Diversity Ethnic Minority Psychology, 9(1), 3–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tugade, M. M., Fredrickson, B. L., & Feldman Barrett, L. (2004). Psychological resilience and positive emotional granularity: Examining the benefits of positive emotions on coping and health. Journal of Personality, 72(6), 1161–1190. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2004.00294.x.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Census bureau. (2011). The Hispanic population: Census 2010 brief. Retrieved August 8, 2013 from http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-04.pdf.

  • Vachon, M. L. (2008). Meaning, spirituality, and wellness in cancer survivors. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 24(3), 218–225. doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2008.05.010.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vahia, I., Depp, C., Palmer, B., Fellows, I., Golshan, S., Thompson, W., et al. (2011). Correlates of spirituality in older women. Aging & Mental Health, 15(1), 97–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagnild, G., & Collins, J. (2009). Assessing resilience. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 47, 29–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenzel, L. B., Donnelly, J. P., Fowler, J. M., Habbal, R., Taylor, T. H., Aziz, N., & Cella, D. (2002). Resilience, reflection, and residual stress in ovarian cancer survivorship: a gynecologic oncology group study. Psychooncology, 11(2), 142–153.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, G., Feder, A., Cohen, H., Kim, J., Calderon, S., Charney, D., & Mathé, A. (2013). Understanding resilience. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 7, 1–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zea, M. C., et al. (1994). Latino cultural values: Their role in adjustment to disability. Journal of Social behavior and Personality, 9, 185–200.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This article was supported in part by Grants of the New York Community Trust, U54CA137788 and T32CA009461 from the National Cancer Institute.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 641 Lexington Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10022, USA

    Migda Hunter-Hernández

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 641 Lexington Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10022, USA

    Rosario Costas-Muñíz & Francesca Gany

Authors
  1. Migda Hunter-Hernández
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rosario Costas-Muñíz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Francesca Gany
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Migda Hunter-Hernández.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hunter-Hernández, M., Costas-Muñíz, R. & Gany, F. Missed Opportunity: Spirituality as a Bridge to Resilience in Latinos with Cancer. J Relig Health 54, 2367–2375 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0020-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0020-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation