title: Spirituality and people with potentially fatal diagnoses.
abstract: When individuals must deal with potentially fatal diseases their lives change in many ways. This qualitative study was designed to investigate this critical life event. The authors interviewed a convenience sample (N = 15) of 10 women with cancer and 5 men with HIV/AIDS. Findings suggest that spirituality is an essential component to feelings of health and well-being. Many of the subjects viewed spirituality as a bridge between hopelessness and meaningfulness in life. Those who had found meaning in their disease thought they had a better quality of life now than they had before the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, USA.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Fryback
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Reinert
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010327:Pastoral Care / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*