The place of spiritual well-being in hospice patients' overall quality of life.
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.
Merrimack Valley Hospice, Two Dundee Park, Andover, MA 01810, USA.
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JE
Thomson
D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics; D017046:Cost Savings; D005260:Female; D006738:Hospices / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D010327:Pastoral Care / Q000191:economics*; D011788:Quality of Life