Explaining the role of spiritual beliefs in promoting mental health in cancer patients: A qualitative study

Cancer patients experience high levels of mental problems including depression and anxiety that can impair their mental health. However, spiritual beliefs can promote mental health and reduce mental disorders. Therefore, given the above point and the lack of similar studies, this research aimed to explain the role of spiritual beliefs to promote mental health in cancer patients. 

By using a qualitative research approach and by performing content analysis, ten inpatient and outpatient cancer patients of the oncology ward of Shahid Rahimi Hospital in Khorramabad city were selected along with 5 of their companions, through purposive sampling, until data saturation was achieved. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the selected samples. Data analysis was done using the conventional approach, and the themes were extracted.   

The data analysis led to the creation of a general class titled as spiritual beliefs, the reason for the promotion of mental health, and the two subclasses as religious practices, the reason for promoting mental health, and spiritual beliefs and adaptation to the disease. 

The results of this study showed that spiritual beliefs greatly impact on the promotion of mental health in cancer patients and their adaptation to the disease.