Effect Of Spirituality On The Rehabilitation Of Cancer Patients

With the overall survival time of cancer patients prolonged evidently, cancer has become a chronic disease, along with rehabilitation period extended. Consequently, the situation during the rehabilitation has been received increasingly more concern and attention. Previous studies mainly traced factors affecting the recovery of cancer patients from the aspects of patients’ physical condition, mental state and social interactions.In recent years, spirituality comes into people’s vision gradually. The so-called spirituality refers to a source of personal inner strength impacting the overall view of the individual on oneself, life and the world from the aspects of meaning of life, a sense of self-worth and a sense of self-transcendence.This study is aimed at investigating the impact of spiritual rehabilitation of cancer patients, including the following issues:how is the spiritual state of cancer patients in China, what is included in the spiritual states specifically and how does the spiritual states affect the rehabilitation of cancer patients. Qualitative research methods were used in the study and the data was collected by interview method. Through in-depth interviews with 8 cancer patients in Nanjing Cancer Rehabilitation Association (X association for short in the following article),the spiritual state was explored from three aspects:sense of life, self worth and self transcendence. The results demonstrated that "love", "hope" and "enjoyment of life" represented the spiritual state of life meaning; the aspects of individual, family, community and society represented the spiritual state of self-worth; the changes of attitude towards cancer, life as well as oneself represented the spiritual state of self-transcendence.These spiritual conditions exerted positive influence on the patient’s physical and mental state along with the social interaction, leading to a desirable effect on the rehabilitation.Based on the exploration and analysis of the spiritual status of cancer patients, the suggestions to improve the spiritual status of cancer patients were put forward. Firstly, the individual believed that the spiritual state should be improved by some cognitive and meaningful treatment. Secondly, the social workers held the idea that further exploration should be carried out in the spiritual realm to help cancer patients develop their spirituality. Thirdly, the society maintained that a favorable social atmosphere should be created to provide a richer spiritual resource for cancer patients.This paper was divided into six parts. The first chapter was the introduction of the research background, problem, purpose and significance, which mainly explained the importance of the rehabilitation for the cancer patients as well as the relationship between rehabilitation and spiritual development. The second chapter was literature review of the definition of spirituality, spiritual needs and stage of development, spirituality, social work and its involvement in cancer rehabilitation. The third chapter illustrated research methods and processes,including the ideas and framework of the study, research methods, limitations and reflect of the research. The fourth chapter elaborated the spiritual status of cancer patients in X association from the aspects of the sense of meaning, self value and self transcendence. Meanwhile, it also introduced the general characteristics of spiritual cancer patients.The fifth chapter explained the influence of the spiritual status on the rehabilitation of cancer patients from the perspectives of physical rehabilitation, psychiatric rehabilitation and the rehabilitation of social interaction. The sixth chapter was the conclusion and discussion. This chapter firstly delivered a descriptive analysis in terms of the conclusions, following a subjective discussion on such conclusion and finally it briefly put forward some suggestions.