Kilonzo,Gad P.Ahmed,Nadia2025-04-032025-04-032025-02-23Sokoine, 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.https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2024-005360http://kuir.ku.ac.tz:4000/handle/123456789/1500Abstract 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.enReligious practicesPalliative careTanzaniaArticle