Spiritual history taking in palliative home care: A cluster randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Background Many health-care providers experience barriers to addressing spiritual needs, such as not having the right vocabulary. The ars moriendi model might be a feasible tool for spiritual history taking in palliative care. Aim To investigate the effect of a structured spiritual history taking on the spiritual well-being of palliative patients in home care. Design Cluster randomized controlled trial, conducted between February and October 2013. Patients and methods Registered nurses and general practitioners approached eligible patients with an incurable, life-threatening disease for study participation. Health-care providers allocated to the intervention arm of the study took a spiritual history on the basis of the ars moriendi model. Health-care providers in the control arm provided care as usual. Patient-reported outcomes on spiritual well-being, quality of life, pain, and patient-provider trust were assessed at two points in time. Results A total of 245 health-care providers participated in the study (204 nurses and 41 physicians). In all, 49 patient-provider dyads completed the entire study protocol. The median age of the patients was 75 years (range: 41-95 years), and 55% of the patients were female. There were no significant differences at any point in time in the scores on spiritual well-being, quality of life, pain, or patient-provider trust between the intervention and the control group. Conclusion This cluster randomized controlled trial showed no demonstrable e…
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Another randomized clinical trial found that a specific protocol for SH-taking among palliative home care patients had no significant impact on spiritual well-being, quality of life, pain, or patient-provider trust.
“another randomized clinical trial found that a specific protocol for SH-taking among palliative home care patients had no significant impact on spiritual well-being, quality of life, pain, or patient-provider trust.31”
The limited sample size (n=49) and the difficulty in ascertaining whether spiritual conversations occurred in the control group were important limitations to accurate assessment of the intervention's effectiveness.
“The limited sample size (n=49), and the difficulty in ascertaining whether spiritual conversations occurred in the control group were important limitations to accurate assessment of the intervention’s effectiveness.31”
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- Authors
- Vermandere, M., Warmenhoven, F., Van Severen, E., De Lepeleire, J., & Aertgeerts, B.
- Affiliations
- KU Leuven (BE)
- Department of General Practice, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Corresponding author
- Vermandere, Mieke
- Venue
- Palliative Medicine
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2015-09-16
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 338-350
- ISSN
- 0269-2163 (ISSN-L)
- 1477-030X
- OpenAlex
- W2332723707
- Cited by
- 67
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 3.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Palliative Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lirias (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- KU Leuven
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
- Keywords
- spiritual history taking, palliative care, home care, spiritual well-being, quality of life, pain, physician-patient trust, spiritual needs, nurses, general practitioners
- MeSH terms
- Patient Reported Outcome Measures, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Attitude of Health Personnel, Communication Barriers, Female, Home Care Services, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pain Measurement, Palliative Care, Professional-Patient Relations, Quality of Life, Terminally Ill, Spirituality
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