Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project

Spirituality and Pediatric Cancer

Authors: Benjamin Purow, MD, Susan Alisanski, MD, Gordon Putnam, MDiv, Marjory Ruderman, MHS

Abstract

Spiritual beliefs are an important source of comfort and support to many cancer patients and their families, but they may play a particularly large role when the patient is a child. Parents facing a child's serious illness and possible death, and children themselves trying to make sense of illness, suffering, and death, often look beyond the material world for comfort and explanations.

This content is limited to qualifying members.

Existing members, please login first

If you have an existing account please login now to access this article or view purchase options.

Purchase only this article ($25)

Create a free account, then purchase this article to download or access it online for 24 hours.

Purchase an SMJ online subscription ($75)

Create a free account, then purchase a subscription to get complete access to all articles for a full year.

Purchase a membership plan (fees vary)

Premium members can access all articles plus recieve many more benefits. View all membership plans and benefit packages.

References

1. Daly CC. Definition of terms: spirituality versus religiousness. South Med J 2005;98:1238-1239.
 
2. Brady MJ, Peterman AH, Fitchett G, et al. A case for including spirituality in quality of life measurement in oncology. Psychooncology 1999;8:417-428.
 
3. Hendricks-Ferguson V. Hope and spiritual well-being in adolescents with cancer. West J Nurs Res 2008;30:385-401; discussion 402-407.
 
4. McEvoy M. Culture & spirituality as an integrated concept in pediatric care. MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs 2003;28:39-43.
 
5. Spirituality in Cancer Care (PDQ®) National Cancer Institute. 2009. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/spirituality/healthprofessional. Accessed December 15, 2009.
 
6. Walco GA. Religion, spirituality, and the practice of pediatric oncology. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2007;29:733-735.
 
7. Carson VB. Spiritual care: the needs of the caregiver. Semin Oncol Nurs 1997;13:271-274.
 
8. Carmody J, Reed G, Kristeller J, et al. Mindfulness, spirituality, and health-related symptoms. J Psychosom Res 2008;64:393-403.
 
9. Whitford HS, Olver IN, Peterson MJ. Spirituality as a core domain in the assessment of quality of life in oncology. Psychooncology 2008;17:1121-1128.
 
10. Luckhaupt SE, Yi MS, Mueller CV, et al. Beliefs of primary care residents regarding spirituality and religion in clinical encounters with patients: a study at a midwestern U.S. teaching institution. Acad Med 2005;80:560-570.
 
11. Koenig HG. Religion, spirituality and medicine: the beginning of a new era. South Med J 2005;98:1235-1236.
 
12. Ecklund EH, Cadge W, Gage EA, et al. The religious and spiritual beliefs and practices of academic pediatric oncologists in the United States. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2007;29:736-742.
 
13. Anderson B, Steen S. Spiritual care: reflecting God's love to children. J Christ Nurs 1995;12:12-17.
 
14. Post SG, Puchalski CM, Larson DB. Physicians and patient spirituality: professional boundaries, competency, and ethics. Ann Intern Med 2000;132:578-583.
 
15. Hills J, Paice JA, Cameron JR, et al. Spirituality and distress in palliative care consultation. J Palliat Med 2005;8:782-788.
 
16. Puchalski C, Romer AL. Taking a spiritual history allows clinicians to understand patients more fully. J Palliat Med 2000;3:129-137.
 
17. Hart D, Schneider D. Spiritual care for children with cancer. Semin Oncol Nurs 1997;13:263-270.
 
18. McEvoy M. An added dimension to the pediatric health maintenance visit: the spiritual history. J Pediatr Health Care 2000;14:216-220.
 
19. Lewis LM. Spiritual assessment in African-Americans: a review of measures of spirituality used in health research. J Relig Health 2008;47:458-475.
 
20. Ferrell B. Meeting spiritual needs: what is an oncologist to do? J Clin Oncol 2007;25:467-468.
 
21. Fowler JW. Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. New York, Harper Collins, 1981.
 
22. Fowler JW, Dell ML. Stages of faith and identity: birth to teens. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am 2004;13:17-33.
 
23. Murphy PE, Canada AL, Fitchett G, et al. An examination of the 3-factor model and structural invariance across racial/ethnic groups for the FACIT-Sp: a report from the American Cancer Society's Study of Cancer Survivors-II (SCS-II). Psychooncology 2010;19:264-272.
 
24. Fina DK. The spiritual needs of pediatric patients and their families. AORN J 1995;62:556-564.
 
25. Norberg AL, Boman KK. Parent distress in childhood cancer: a comparative evaluation of posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression and anxiety. Acta Oncol 2008;47:267-274.
 
26. Whippen DA, Canellos GP. Burnout syndrome in the practice of oncology: results of a random survey of 1,000 oncologists. J Clin Oncol 1991;9:1916-1920.