Religious/Spiritual Coping by People with Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy

Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify the scientific evidence available regarding the religious/spiritual coping approach used by people with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. It is an integrative review of the literature. The descriptors “chemotherapy” and “spirituality” were used. The databases were: LILACS, PUBMED, ScienceDirect, EMBASE, CINAHL, and BDENF. The studies recognize religion/spirituality as a positive approach strategy, since it contributes to adherence to treatment and stress reduction. The negative effect was associated with the incidence of collateral effects, psychological suffering, anxiety, and depression. We concluded that the recognition of spirituality as a coping strategy and the identification of spiritual needs provide nursing professionals with a better scope of information for care planning and more comprehensive assistance.