Spirituality and Religion Among Lesbian Women Diagnosed with Cancer

Abstract

This pilot qualitative study explored experiences and effects of spirituality and religion among lesbians diagnosed with cancer. A convenience sample of eight self-identified lesbians diagnosed with cancer responded to advertisements for the study. Each woman was interviewed, and interview transcripts were analyzed thematically. The results indicated that all participants found support in spirituality, though definitions of this term varied. Five women found religion supportive, but not one participant still worshipped in the tradition in which she was raised. The participants' identification as lesbian affected their relationships with all sources of support, including spirituality and religion. This finding suggests that clinicians working with cancer survivors should include spiritual and religious beliefs in their assessments and treatment planning, and further research on the experiences of lesbians with cancer is needed.

Key Words:

• Spirituality
• religion
• lesbian
• cancer