Keywords
Spirituality
Well-being
Quality of life
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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of spiritual practices in improving the well-being and quality of life of patients in palliative care. Methods: This is an integrative literature review conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and EBSCO databases, encompassing studies published between January 2018 and July 2024. Randomized clinical trials that investigated the impact of spiritual interventions—such as dignity therapy, spiritual counseling, mindfulness, music therapy, therapeutic interviews, and meaning-centered psychotherapy—in adult patients under palliative care were included. In total, 33,739 articles were initially identified, of which 13 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. Results: The evidence suggests that spiritual practices promote significant improvements in spiritual and emotional well-being, reduce anxiety levels, and strengthen patients' sense of dignity, resilience, and inner peace. Despite the methodological heterogeneity among the studies, a convergence was observed regarding the essential role of spirituality in the holistic and humanized approach to end-of-life care. Final considerations: It is concluded that the integration of spiritual practices into palliative care contributes to the promotion of dignity, comfort, and acceptance, favoring a more serene, meaningful, and humanized experience of the terminal process.
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