The Place of Spiritual Well-Being in Hospice Patients’ Overall Quality of Life

ABSTRACT

There is an increasing awareness of, and interest in the relationship between spirituality and health. This research examines spiritual well-being as one of six components of hospice patients’ overall quality of life. Patients admitted over a four-month period were surveyed, using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale (FACT-G), at admission, one month later, three months later, and six months later. Data showed spiritual well-being to be an important contributor to overall quality of life. The article concludes by advocating that providing spiritual care to hospice patients makes good business sense. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: [email protected] <Website: http:llwww.haworthpressinc.com>]

KEYWORDS:

• FACT-G scale
• Hospice
• quality of life
• spiritual care

Notes

“Pastoral care” in this paper is understood to be an umbrella term for the various “spiritual care interventions” that help people explore their spirituality. Please see the section “Definition of Terms.”

McMillan and Mahon developed a Hospice QOL Index in 1994. It includes 28 questions plus one unnumbered question regarding pain. They were concerned that previous studies used tools that were not designed for hospice patients (437). However, though their questionnaire addressed the various domains, these domains are not as clearly broken out as they are in the FACT-G.

Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, Section 122, Public Law 97-248: U.S. Congress, 97th Congress, Second Session: September 3, 1982.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Judith E. Thomson

The Rev. Judith E. Thomson, DMin, is Chaplain and Pastoral Counselor, Merrimack Valley Hospice, Two Dundee Park, Andover, MA 01810.