Spiritual expressions of African Americans and Whites in cancer pain.
BACKGROUND
Spiritual practices are one way that individuals cope with cancer pain.


OBJECTIVE
Describe and contrast expressions and values about the use of spirituality for pain in African American (AA) and White (WH) oncology patients.


METHODS
Six groups (3 AA; 3 WH; n=42; mean age 58) were conducted. Focus group and qualitative methodology with a cultural interpretive lens was utilized. The Model of Integrated Spirituality provided the conceptual framework for understanding the narratives.


RESULTS
AAs and WHs did not differ on demographics, pain status, or integrative therapies. Three spirituality themes emerged: 1) pain and distress as antecedents to the use of spirituality; 2) active and existential attributes of the use of spirituality; and 3) mobilization of internal and external resources as outcomes. There were commonalities between AAs and WHs but greater frequency of certain subthemes and keywords in AAs.


CONCLUSIONS
Future studies should examine whether differences in overt expressions translate into different types and levels of spiritual usage.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians should recognizing similar as well as different uses and descriptions of spirituality between African Americans and Whites.
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 201 Health and Human Development East, University Park, PA 16802, USA. hgb2@psu.edu
Harleah G
HG
Buck
Salimah H
SH
Meghani
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010146:Pain / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D029181:Spirituality; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*