Spiritual Care Training Program’s Effects on Physicians’ Confidence, Self-reported Practice, and Attitudes in Caring for Terminally Ill Cancer Patients Who Express Meaninglessness
- VernacularTitle:がん診療に携わる医師のスピリチュアルケア研修の効果─無意味を訴える患者に対するコミュニケーションの自信，生きる意味への援助の実践の自己評価，患者に対する態度の前後比較試験─
- Author:
Yasunori MATOBA
1
;
Hisayuki MURATA
2
;
Tatsuya MORITA
3
;
Mitsunori MIYASHITA
4
Author Information
- Keywords: spiritual pain; existential suffering; spiritual care; cancer; physicians’ training
- From:Palliative Care Research 2021;16(1):45-54
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
- Abstract: This study sought to evaluate how a training program on spiritual care affected physicians’ confidence, self-reported practice, and attitudes in caring for terminally ill cancer patients who express meaninglessness in living. Questionnaires were distributed to participating physicians before and after the training program. A total of 30 physicians completed the program. Confidence and self-reported practice regarding communication with terminally ill cancer patients who express meaninglessness significantly improved after the training: effect size, 1.3 (P=0.0001) and 1.2 (P=0.0001), respectively. Moreover, physician-reported helplessness significantly decreased (effect size, 0.8; P=0.0001) and positive appraisal and willingness to participate in caring for terminally ill cancer patients experiencing meaninglessness significantly improved (effect size, 0.8, P=0.0001; effect size, 0.4, P=0.0001, respectively). Overall, 96–100% of the participating physicians reported the program was useful for understanding the concept of spiritual care and for learning a practical approach for caring for such patients.
