Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Older Cancer Patient: Religious and Spiritual Dimensions

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Geriatric Oncology

  • 176 Accesses

Abstract

The goals of care are based on the values of each individual: setting the goals of care is a spiritual endeavor. Accordingly, this chapter examines the definition of religion and spirituality, the influence of religion and spirituality on the management of the older person, and the clinical assessment of religion and spirituality. In general religion and spirituality have been associated with better tolerance of chronic diseases and more satisfactory caregiving experience in patients with chronic diseases and their families, and all providers need to recognize that medical emergency that is referred to as spiritual distress can be properly managed by a chaplain. Spiritual distress is a cause of poor quality of life and may lead to treatment failure from desperation and lack of motivation.

Religion and spirituality may play a specially important role in the management of older cancer patient as with aging there is an increased interest in the meaning of life and in spiritual accomplishments (gerotranscendence). Each person should have adequate evaluation of spiritual and religious resources, and the practitioner should be experienced in utilizing these resources appropriately to improve a patient outcome and to support the patient’s quality of life.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Balducci L. Cure and healing. In: Cobb M, Puchalski CM, Rumbold B, editors. Oxford textbook of spirituality in health care. Oxford University Press: Oxford; 2012. p. 151–7.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Balducci L. Cancer prevention in older individuals. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2016;32:314–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Balducci L, Innocenti M. Quality of life at the end of life. In: Beck L, editor. Dying and death in oncology. Cham: Springer; 2017. p. 31–46.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bertson GG, Norman GJ, Hawkley LC, et al. Spirituality and autonomic cardiac control. Ann Behav Med. 2008;35:198–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caplan L, Sawyer P, Holt C, et al. Religiosity after a diagnosis of cancer among older adults. J Relig Spritual Aging. 2014;26:357–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carver LF, Buchanan D. Successful aging: considering non-biomedical constructs. Clin Interv Aging. 2016;11:1623–30.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Delkeskamp-Hayes C. Between morality and repentance: recapturing “sin” for bioethics. Christ Bioeth. 2005;11:93–132.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DeRoches CM, Campbell AG, Rao SR, et al. Electronic health records in ambulatory care: a national survey of physicians. N Engl J Med. 2008;359:50–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolittle BR, Justice AC, Fiellin DA. Religions, spirituality and HIV clinical outcome: a systematic review of the literature. AIDS Behav. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1651-z.

  • Edlund BJ. Revisiting spirituality in aging. J Gerontol Nurs. 2014;40:4–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Erdman SE. Defining “good health”. Aging (Albany NY). 2016;8:3157–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erosheva EA, Kim HJ, Emlet C, et al. Social network of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older adults. Res Aging. 2016;38:98–123.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freedman VA, Spillman BC. Active life-expectancy in the older US population, 1982-2011: differences between blacks and whites persisted. Health Aff (Milwood). 2016;35:1351–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gielen J, Bhatnagar S, Chaturvedi SK, et al. Prevalence and nature of spiritual distress among palliative cancer patients in India. J Relig Health. 2017;56:530–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gijsberts MJ, Echteld MA, van der steen JT, et al. Spirituality at the end of life: conceptualization fo measurable aspects: a systematic review. J Palliat Med. 2011;14:852–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Griebling TL. Sexuality and aging: a focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender needs in palliative and end-of-life care. Curr Opin Supp Pall Care. 2016;10:95–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haley WE. Family caregiver of older patients with cancer: understanding and minimizing the burden of care. J Support Oncol. 2003;1(4 suppl 2):25–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huntington SF. Cancer-related financial toxicity: beyond the realm of drug pricing and out of pocket cost. Ann Oncol. 2016;27:2143–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jack AI, Friedman JP, Bovatzis RE, et al. Why do you believe in God? Relation between religious beliefs, analytic thinking, mentalizing, and moral concerns. PLoS. 2016;11(3):e0149989. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149989. eCollection 2016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jim JS, Pustejovsky JE, Park CL, et al. Religion, spirituality, and physical health in cancer patients. Cancer. 2015;121:3760–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Johnstone B, Yoon DP, Cohen D, et al. Relationships among spirituality, religious practices, personality factors and health for five different faith traditions. J Relig Health. 2012;51:1017–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Justin RG. The value history: a necessary family document. Theor Med. 1987;8:275–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim Y, Carver CS, Cannady RS. Caregiving motivation predicts long term spirituality and quality of life of the caregivers. Ann Behav Med. 2015;49:500–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim HJ, Jen S, Fredriksen-Golden KI. Race, ethnicity, and health-related quality of life among LGBT older adults. Gerontologist. 2017;57(Suppl 1):S30–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kocher R, Chigurupati A. The coming battle over shared shaving: primary care physicians versus specialists. N Engl J Med. 2016;375:104–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig HG. Concerns about measuring spirituality in research. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2008;196:349–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig HG. Religion, spirituality, and health: a review and update. Adv Mind Body Med. 2015;29:19–26.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kuluski K, Gill A, Naganathan G, et al. A qualitative descriptive study of the alignments of health care goals between older person with multiple comorbidities, their family physicians, and informal caregivers. BMC Fam Pract. 2013;14:133. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2296-14-133.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kurtz ME, Kurtz JC, Given CW, et al. Depression and physical health among family caregivers of geriatric patients with cancer. Med Sci Monit. 2004;10:CR447–56.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lac A, Austin N, Lemke R, et al. Association between religious practices and risk of depression in older people in the subacute setting. Australas J Ageing. 2017;36(2):E31–4. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.12384.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lai C, Luciani M, Di Mario C, et al. Psychological and burden impairment and spirituality in caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2017. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.12674.

  • Magnuson A, Wallace J, Canin B, et al. Shared goal-setting in team based geriatric oncology. J Oncol Pract. 2016;12:1115–22.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mclean G. An integrative professional theory and practice paper: a reflection on the journey through clinical pastoral education. J Past Care Counsel. 2015;69:201–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Memaryan N, Joffaei AG, Ghaempana Z, et al. Spiritual care for cancer patients in Iran. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016;17:4289–94.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller L, Wickramaratne P, Gameroff MJ, et al. Religiosity and major depression in adults at high risk: a ten year prospective study. Am J Psychiatry. 2012;169:89–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller L, Bansal L, Wickramaratne P, et al. Neuro-anatomical correlated of religiosity and spirituality: a study in adult at high and low familial risk for depression. JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71:89–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minichiello V, Hawkes G, Pitts M. HIV, sexually transmitted infection, and sexuality in later life. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2011;13:182–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mittnick S, Leffler C, Hood VL, et al. Family caregiver, patients and physicians: ethical guidance to optimize relationship. J Gen Intern Med. 2010;25:255–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orel NA. Investigating the needs and concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older adults: the use of qualitative and quantitative methodology. J Homosex. 2014;61:53–78.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • PDQ Supportive and palliative care editorial board. Spirituality in cancer care, published online. PDQ Supportive and palliative care editorial board, NIH, Bethesda, USA; 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penson RT, Dignan FL, Canellos GP, et al. Burnout: caring for the caregiver. Oncologist. 2000;5:425–34.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Puchalski CM. Restorative medicine. In: Cobb M, Puchalski CM, Rumbold B, editors. Oxford textbook of Spirituality in health care. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2012. p. 197–210.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Puchalski C, Ferrell B, Virani R, et al. Promoting the quality of spiritual care as a dimension of palliative care: the report of the consensus conference. J Palliat Med. 2009;12:885–904.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ripamonti CI, Miccinesi C, Pessa MA, et al. Is it possible to encourage hope in non-advanced cancer patients? We must try. Ann Oncol. 2016;27:513–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robins JL, Elswick RK, Sturgill J, et al. The effects of Tai-Chi on cardiovascular risk in women. Am J Health Promot. 2016;30:613–22.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rodyhouse JK, Wilson IB. Systematic review of caregiver responses to patient health-related quality of life in adult cancer care. Qual Life Res. 2017;26(8):1925–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-017-1540-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sachdeva A, Kumar K, Anand KS. Non-pharmacological cognitive enhancers – current perspectives. J Clin Diagn Res. 2015;9(7):VE01–6. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2015/13392.6186.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salaman JM, Fitchett G, Merluzzi TV, et al. Religion, spirituality and health outcomes in cancer: a case for meta-analytic investigation. Cancer. 2015;121:3754–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salsman JM, Pustejovski JE, Jim HS, et al. A meta-analytic approach to examining the correlation between religion/spirituality and mental health in cancer patients. Cancer. 2015;121:369–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman AC, Merluzzi TV, Pustejovsky JE, et al. A meta-analytic review of religious and spiritual involvement and social health among cancer patients. Cancer. 2015a;121:3779–88.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman AC, Merluzzi TV, Pustejovski JE, et al. A meta-analytic review of religion and spirituality involvement and social health among cancer patients. Cancer. 2015b;121:3773–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silbermann M, Khleif AD, Balducci L. Healing by cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28:1436–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Temel JS, Greer JA, El-Jawahari A, et al. Effects of early integrated palliative care in patients with lung and GI cancer: a randomized controlled study. J Clin Oncol. 2016;35(8):834–41. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2016.70.5046:.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tornstam L. Gerotranscendence: a developmental theory of positive aging. New York: Springer; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trivedi SC, Subramaniam AA, Kamath RM, et al. Study of spirituality in elderly with subjective memory complains. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2016;29:38–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Unterrainer HS, Lewis AJ, Fink A. Religious/spiritual well-being, personality, mental health: a review of results and conceptual issues. J Relig Health. 2014;53:382–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vallet-Regi M, Manzano M, Rodriguez-Manas L, et al. Management of cancer in the older aged person: an approach to complex medical decisions. Oncologist. 2017;22(3):335–42. https://doi.org/10.1634/theoncologist.2016-0276.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Cappellen P, Way BM, Isgett SF, et al. Effects of oxytocin administration on spirituality and emotional response to meditation. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2016;11:1579–87.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Vance DE, Brennan M, Enah C, et al. Religion, spirituality in older adults with HIV: critical personal and social resources for an aging epidemics. Clin Interv Aging. 2011;6:101–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Waem M, Rubenowitz A, Wilhelsmon K. Predictors of suicide in the elderly. Gerontology. 2003;49:328–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walter LC, Schonberg MA. Screening mammography in older women: a review. JAMA. 2014;311:1336–47.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Yoon KH, Moon YS, Lee Y, et al. The moderating effect of religiosity on caregiving burdon and depressive symptoms in caregivers of patients with dementia. Aging Ment Health. 2016;23:1–7.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA

    Lodovico Balducci

  2. Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA

    Lodovico Balducci

Authors
  1. Lodovico Balducci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lodovico Balducci .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Senior Adult Oncology Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Martine Extermann

Section Editor information

  1. Senior Adult Oncology Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Martine Extermann Md, PhD

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Balducci, L. (2018). The Older Cancer Patient: Religious and Spiritual Dimensions. In: Extermann, M. (eds) Geriatric Oncology . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44870-1_19-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44870-1_19-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-44870-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-44870-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation