Spiritual Problems of Women with Breast Cancer in Iran: A Qualitative Study

A developing body of evidence has demonstrated the detrimental effects of spirituality and religion on the well-being of patients with cancer. This necessitates the need to explore the content of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V (code 62.89). The present study aimed to identify the spiritual problems of Iranian patients with breast cancer concerning their religious beliefs and cultures.

A qualitative content analysis with an abductive approach was used and data were gathered using individual semi-structured interviews. The participants were selected by purposive sampling which continued until data saturation after 12 interviews. Data were analyzed using the Graneheim and Lundman thematic approach.

The themes extracted from the data were “Questioning spiritual values” and “loss or questioning of faith”. The three categories in the first theme included “Find spiritual cause of illness”, “Question God's justice”, and “Deal with God”. Moreover, “Lack of intimacy with God”, “Giving up rituals” and “Losing religious faith” were the categories of the second theme.

As evidenced by the obtained results, awareness of religious/spiritual problems of the patients with breast cancer may be of great help to healthcare professionals to manage the patients who need a referral, further assessment, and appropriate intervention. In addition, the assessment of spiritual/ religious problems is of paramount importance in designing cultural and spiritual care and interventions.