Cultural aspects of spirituality in cancer care.
OBJECTIVE
To recognize the significant relationship between culture and spirituality; to offer techniques for assessing the influence of culture on spirituality.


METHODS
Books and journal articles from nursing and anthropology.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients' spirituality may be determined entirely by cultural norms, in opposition to cultural norms, or by both these norms and individual life experiences. A thorough assessment of a patient's spirituality with careful attention to the degree to which that spirituality is affected by the patient's cultural background is essential.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses who care for persons with cancer need to undertake a process of self-assessment of their spirituality before providing spiritual care for patients. Such an assessment helps to prevent cultural imposition.
Martsolf
D S
DS
Kent State University, OH 44242, USA.
D018939:Holistic Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D016746:Transcultural Nursing / Q000379:methods*