SPIRITUALITY AND PALLIATIVE CARE IN THE TREATMENT OF ONCOLOGICAL PATIENTS

Abstract

CANCER IS A DISEASE THAT AFFECTS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR PROFOUNDLY IMPACTING ON THE PATIENT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL. THE FEELING OF FINITUDE, SUFFERING AND IMPOTENCE IN THE FACE OF THE DISEASE UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF PALLIATIVE CARE AND SPIRITUALITY IN UNDERSTANDING THE HOLISTIC TREATMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL. THUS, THE PRESENT STUDY AIMS TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS ARISING FROM THE LINKAGE OF PALLIATIVE CARE AND SPIRITUALITY IN THE RECEPTION AND FOLLOW-UP OF PATIENTS AFFECTED BY CANCER. THE METHODOLOGY USED CONSISTED OF THE SEARCH PERFORMED IN DATABASES SUCH AS SCIELO, GOOGLE ACADEMIC AND PUBMED, USING 25 ARTICLES FROM THE PERIOD 2009 TO 2018 WITH THE DESCRIPTORS: "HOSPICES CARE", "PALLIATIVES CARE", "SPIRITUALITY", "NEOPLASIAS" AND "QUALITY OF LIFE". CANCER, ESPECIALLY ITS TREATMENT, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE PATIENT, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO ITS SIDE EFFECTS. THEREFORE, PALLIATIVE CARE AND SPIRITUALITY ARE INSERTED IN THE CONTEXT AS A WAY OF IMPROVING THE TREATMENT AND PROGNOSIS OF THESE PATIENTS, CONTRIBUTING TO A HUMANISTIC AND INTEGRAL ATTENTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL. HOWEVER, IN BRAZIL, THIS FORM OF CARE HAS STILL BEEN PRESENTED AS ISOLATED INITIATIVES AND WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING OF PROFESSIONALS, THUS AFFIRMING THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN PALLIATIVE CARE AND SPIRITUALITY, TO PROVIDE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE IN THE COURSE OF THE DISEASE.