title: Spiritual needs of cancer patients: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diagnosis of cancer can cause huge spiritual crisis in a person and affect different aspects of life. At this stage, patients have certain spiritual needs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to explain spiritual needs of cancer patients in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this qualitative study, 18 cancer patients, referred to the Cancer Institute of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran were selected using purposive sampling method, and their spiritual needs emerged out of conventional content analysis of interviews conducted with them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1850 initial codes, 4 themes (connection, peace, meaning and purpose, and transcendence) were identified that contained categories of social support, normal behavior, inner peace, seeking forgiveness, hope, acceptance of reality, seeking meaning, ending well, change of life meaning, strengthening spiritual belief, communication with God, and prayer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spiritual needs of cancer patients should be recognized, realized, and considered in care of patients by the medical team. An all-out support of health system policy makers to meet patients' spiritual needs is particularly important.
authors.affiliation: Nursing & Midwifery School, International branch, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Khadijeh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatamipour
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Nursing, Nursing & Midwifery School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rassouli
authors.affiliation: Islamic Azad University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Farideh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yaghmaie
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Kazem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zendedel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid Alavi
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Majd
keywords: Cancer; Cancer patients; Palliative care; Spiritual needs; Spirituality