Abstract
Medicalization is scientifically driven, however certain alternative and complementary therapeutic practices are still in vogue in many parts of the modern world. This study was planned to know the role of spirituality on hope for health recovery among cancer patients. For this purpose, a sample size of 45 Sunni Muslim cancer patients admitted in Institute of Nuclear Medicine Oncology and Radiotherapy (INOR) in district Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan was interviewed through structured questionnaire, using 4 points likert scale, ranging from 1 for strongly disagree to 4 for strongly agree. Spirituality (independent variable) was tested with hope (dependent variable) which is measured by using PP-RSS and Herth Hope Index. Demographic and basic information of the respondents were calculated in percentages and frequency distribution. A univariate analysis including mean and standard deviation values were obtained to get some groundwork view of the preferred variables while a bivariate analysis i.e. Regression models were also used to understand the nature of influence of spirituality on hope in the patients. Statistical values suggest that the selected hope items have got higher score which depicts the potential effect of spirituality on hope among patients. Similarly, regression models have also obtained positive relationships among the selected variables. It is concluded that spirituality and spiritually related beliefs essentially influence hope regarding health and wellbeing in cancer patients.
Keyword(s)
Medicalization, Information, Spirituality, hope, Patients, Cancer