Religion and/or spirituality (R/S) plays a variety of important and inter-related roles for most\nadvanced cancer patients. It has confirmed that religious involvement helps the patients to ease\nstress and provides individuals with positive coping strategies. However, much less attention has\nbeen given to how religion has been used to cope with cancer in China. The aim of this study was to\nexplore the self-adjustment and experiences of religious coping among Chinese patients with cancer.\nA qualitative descriptive approach was chosen for this investigation. 16 Chinese patients with\ncancer were recruited from 4 hospitals in Tai�an, Shandong, China from April 2013 to October 2013\nand completed 0.5 - 1 hour of in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed by modification of Colaizzi�s\nphenomenological method. Three themes were derived from the experiences of the participants:\n1) self-adjustment including cognitive adjustment, faith adjustment and behavior adjustment; 2)\nthe experience of religion coping with the cancer patients including emotional, physical and social\naspect; 3) hope and power including the hope to heal, to survive from cancer, and to live longer,\nthe cure, the spiritual supporter and the helper. The use of religion is an effective method for\npatients coping with cancer. Cancer patients use religion to obtain physiological, psychological,\nand spiritual comfort. Such knowledge is imperative for evidence-based nursing practice. As point\nof care providers, staff nurses are well poised to design systems and processes to accomplish the\ngoals of providing excellent nursing care, which is reflective of a holistic and multicultural environment.
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