Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T15:17:28.822Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A systematic review of spiritual and religious variables in Palliative Medicine, American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care, Hospice Journal, Journal of Palliative Care, and Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2003

CHRISTINA M. PUCHALSKI ,
SHELLEY DEAN KILPATRICK ,
MICHAEL E. McCULLOUGH  and
DAVID B. LARSON
CHRISTINA M. PUCHALSKI
Affiliation:
The George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish), Washington, DC
SHELLEY DEAN KILPATRICK
Affiliation:
UCLA/Rand Center for Adolescent Health Promotion, UCLA Department of Pediatrics, Los Angeles, California
MICHAEL E. McCULLOUGH
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
DAVID B. LARSON
Affiliation:
The George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish), Washington, DC
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective: There has been increasing recognition and acceptance of the importance of addressing existential and spiritual suffering as an important and necessary component of palliative medicine and end-of-life care in the United States. This paper seeks to empirically and systematically examine the extent to which there is an adequate scientific research base on spirituality and its role in palliative care, in the palliative care and hospice literature.

Methods: We sought to locate all empirical studies published in five palliative medicine/hospice journals from 1994 to 1998. The journals included: American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care, Journal of Palliative Care, Hospice Journal, Palliative Medicine, and The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. Journal contents were searched to identify studies that included spiritual or religious measures or results. Case studies, editorials, and theoretical or descriptive articles were not included in the search.

Results: During the years 1994–1998, 1,117 original empirical articles were published in the five journals reviewed. Only 6.3% (70 articles) included spiritual or religious variables. This percentage, while low, was better that the 1% previously reported in an examination of studies published in Journal of the American Medical Association, The Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine.

Significance of results: While researchers in the field of palliative care have studied spiritual/religious variables more than other areas of medicine, the total percentage for studies is still a low 6.3%. To move the field of palliative medicine forward so appropriate guidelines for spiritual care can be developed, it is critical that good research be conducted upon which to base spiritual care in an evidence-based model. Recommendations are made for future studies on spiritual care in palliative medicine.

Keywords

SpiritualityPalliative medicineResearchLiteratureJournals
Type
Research Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , March 2003 , pp. 7 - 13
Copyright
© 2003 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Babler, J.E. (1997). A comparison of spiritual care provided by hospice social workers, nurses and spiritual care professionals. Hospice Journal, 12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brady, M.J., Peterman, A.H., Fitchett, G., Mo, M., & Cella, D. (1999). A case for including spirituality in quality of life measurement in oncology. Psycho-Oncology, 8, 417–428.3.0.CO;2-4>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cassell, C.K. & Foley, K.M. (1999). Principles for care of patients at the end of life: An emerging consensus among the specialties of medicine, Milbank Memorial Fund.
Dominus Publishing. (1991). New York, NY
Dudley, J.R., Smith, C., & Millison, M.B. (1995). Unfinished business: Assessing the spiritual needs of hospice clients. The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care, 12(2), 30–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, M.R., Vinson, D.C., & Ewigman, B. (1999). Addressing spiritual concerns of patients: Family physicians' attitudes and practices. Journal of Family Practice, 48(2), 105–109.Google Scholar
Field, M.J. & Cassell C.K., eds. (1997). Approaching Death: Improving Care at the End-of-Life. Washington, DC: National Academy.
Franco, V. (1983). The hospice: Human care for the dying. Journal of Religion and Health, 22, 241–251.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gallup, G. (1997). Spiritual beliefs and the dying process. In National Survey for the Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Fetzer Institute.
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. (1996). Chicago.
Larson, D.B., Swyers, J.P., & McCullough, M.E. (1997). Scientific research on spirituality and health: A consensus report. Rockville, MD: National Institute for Healthcare Research.
Larson, D.B. (1993). The Faith Factor: An Annotated Bibliography of Systematic Reviews and Clinical Research on Spiritual Subjects, Volume II. Rockville, MD: National Institute for Healthcare Research.
Ley, D. & Corless, I. (1988). Spirituality and hospice care. Death Studies, 12, 101–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lo, B., Quill, T., & Tulsky, J. (1999). Discussing palliative care with patients. Annals of Internal Medicine, 130, 744–749.Google Scholar
Millison, M.B. & Dudley, J.R. (1990). The importance of spirituality in hospice work: A study of hospice professions. Hospice Journal, 6(3), 63–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Millison, M. & Dudley, J.R. (1992). Providing spiritual support: A job for all hospice professionals. Hospice Journal, 8(4), 49–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Hospice Organization. (1988). Standards for a Hospice Program.
O'Connor, P. (1986). Spiritual elements in hospice care. Hospice Journal, 2(2), 99–108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Puchalski, C.M. (1999). Touching the spirit: The essence of healing. Spiritual Life, 45(3), 154–159.Google Scholar
Puchalski, C.M. & Larson, D.B. (1998). Developing curricula in spirituality and medicine. Academic Medicine, 73, 970–974.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Puchalski, C. (1998). Facing death with true dignity. World and I, 13(7), 34–39.Google Scholar
Rabow, M.W., Hardie, G.E., Fair, J.M., & McPhee, S.J. (2000). End of life care content in 50 textbooks from multiple specialties. Journal of the American Medical Association, 283(6), 771–778.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reese, D. & Brown, D.R. (1997). Psychosocial and spiritual care in hospice: Differences between nursing, social work and clergy. Hospice Journal, 12(1).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sherrill, K.A., Larson, D.B., & Greenwold, M.A. (1993). Is religion taboo in gerontology? A systematic review of research on religion in three major gerontology journals, 1985–1991. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1, 109–117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steinhauser, K.E., Clipp, E.C., Christakis, N., McNeilly, M., McIntrye, L., & Tulsky, J.A. (2000). In search of a good death: Attitudes of patients, family members and healthcare professionals. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 15(suppl. 1), 4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Support Principal Investigators. (1995). A controlled trial to improve care for seriously ill hospitalized patients: The Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatments (SUPPORT). Journal of the American Medical Association, 274, 1591–1598.Google Scholar
Talbot, K. (1996). Transcending a devastating loss: The life attitude of mothers who have experienced the death of their only child. The Hospice Journal, 11(4), 67–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Techekmedyian, N.S. & Cella, D. (1991). Quality of Life in Oncology Practice and Research.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1983). Federal Register 48(163): Medicare Program; Hospice Care; Proposed Rule. Washington, DC.