EPECTM-O Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care for Oncology: Cultural Considerations When Caring for African Americans Module 16-AA: Spirituality

Spirituality plays an integral role in how the individual with cancer and his/her family adapt to the experience of cancer. In this module, spirituality, religion, and spiritual coping are defined and contrasted. The historical role of religion and the current demography of religious affiliation in the African American population are reviewed. The importance of spirituality and religion in the everyday lives of African Americans as well as in the lives of those affected by cancer is explored, and compared with the U.S. population as a whole. Spiritual issues of importance to those with cancer, as well as unmet spiritual needs, are discussed. The effects of different types of spiritual/religious coping on quality of life and health outcomes for African Americans and the U.S. population as a whole are described. Recommendations from professional organizations related to spiritual assessment and intervention are presented. Various methods of performing spiritual assessments are outlined, and recommendations for effective culturally sensitive interdisciplinary interventions to alleviate spiritual distress are proposed. OBJECTIVES At the completion of this module, participants will be able to: Define spirituality and religion, and explain the difference between them Describe the historical role of religion in the African American community Identify demographic trends in the religious and spiritual beliefs of African Americans compared with the general U.S. population Outline the role that spirituality plays in adjusting to advanced cancer, both in the general population and among African Americans Describe methods of performing discipline-specific spiritual assessments Formulate pertinent discipline-specific and interdisciplinary spiritual interventions in the plan of care for patients with advanced cancer DEFINITIONS Awakenings: Evangelical spiritual renewals which swept the colonies/United States in the 18 th and 19 th centuries. The First Great Awakening spread from England and Europe to the colonies from about 1730-1760. The Second Great Awakening began in the 1790's,continuing into the 1830's, and saw the rise of evangelical Methodists and Baptists. Ministry of presence: A form of servanthood characterized by suffering, alongside of/with the hurt and oppressed. Ministry of presence for pastoral professionals means vulnerability to and participation in the life-world of those served. 3 3 Religion: Beliefs and practices that center on questions about the meaning of life which may involve the worship of a supreme being. Balboni defines religion as a specific set of beliefs about the transcendent that are shared by a community and are often associated with common sacred writings and practices. 4 London states that …