Religious practices and quality of life in palliative care: insights from Tanzania
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Date
2025-02-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
British Medical Journal
Abstract
Objective To explore the role of religious practices in palliative care and their impact on the quality of life among inpatients at Ocean Road Cancer Institute.
Methods
A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted, using structured surveys to gather data from 150 inpatients receiving palliative care. The WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) tool was used to measure quality of life, alongside data on the usage of religious practices.
Results
The findings reveal that most of the participants (90%) expressed a need for religious practices, predominantly prayer. Notably, access to these practices positively correlated with improved perceptions of well-being, despite a considerable portion of patients reporting a poor quality of life (84.7%).
Conclusion
The study’s findings highlight the importance of incorporating religious practices into palliative care, particularly in low-resource settings like Tanzania, to provide culturally sensitive, holistic support for patients with cancer.
Description
Keywords
palliative care, inpatients, Ocean Road Cancer Institute
Citation
Sokoine, S.N.E., Kilonzo, G., Ahmed, N. and Sawe, K.F., 2025. Religious practices and quality of life in palliative care: insights from Tanzania. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.