Religion, Spirituality and Coping with Breast Cancer: A Phenomenological Study

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide and in addition to the physical complications¡ caused multiple mental and emotional challenges for patients. Present study was performed through phenomenological qualitative approach in a sample of Iranian women to deep exploration and better understanding of coping ways that patients use when face with cancer¡ with a focus on methods based on religion and spirituality based.
Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 27 eligible patients. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Van Manen thematic approach. Data collection and analysis were carried out simultaneously. In addition¡ Maxqda (Ver10) software was used for data management.
The mean age of participants was 50±8.77years¡ ranging from 32 to 68 years. About 22% of these patients had Lumpectomy (remove part of breast tissue) and others (78%)¡ mastectomy (remove of all breast)¡ respectively. By analyzing and extracting the primary codes from the interviews¡ the final codes were extracted and divided into 6 sub and 2 conceptual categories¡ and relation between the conceptual categories led to emerge of the study main theme “Transcendence-oriented effort to adjustment”.
Breast cancer patients in this study predominantly employed dynamic processes and coping strategies to deal with the reality of disease that had been formed from their religious and spiritual beliefs. Therefore¡ it is necessary to health care providers¡ while maintaining respect for patients and considering their spiritual and religious beliefs¡ make available religious counseling in order to providing spiritual health promotion for patients.