title: Being hopeful and continuing to move ahead: religious coping in Iranian chemical warfare poisoned veterans, a qualitative study.
abstract: There is a substantial number of Iranian war veterans, exposed to sulfur mustard, who suffer from serious long term progressive health problems involving their respiratory organs, eyes, and skin. Little is known, however, about these casualties' experiences of living with the consequences of sulfur mustard poisoning. This qualitative study aims to provide greater insight into how war veterans live with the consequences of the poisoning and involved 17 Iranian war veterans who had been poisoned by sulfur mustard during the Iran-Iraq conflict. Each participant was interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule and the data generated through this process was analyzed using constant comparative data analysis technique. Data analysis resulted in "religious beliefs and practices" as a main category, which included two sub-categories: religious value centered life and religious support. Findings suggest that religious belief assists veterans to accept the impact of poisoning on their lives and adapt their lifestyles accordingly, to participate in religious social activities and feel socially supported, and to be hopeful about the future and live their lives as fully as possible.
authors.affiliation: Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. hasankhani@nm.mui.ac.ir
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hassankhani
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taleghani
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Birks
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: Fazlolah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000506:poisoning*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000506:poisoning*; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D009151:Mustard Gas