The Role of Spiritual Practices in Enhancing Well-Being of Cancer Patients: A Phenomenological Study in Ibadan
Article Sidebar
Page Numbers:
211-232
Digital Object Identifier:
10.58578/ajcmpr.v3i2.9354
Viewed: 85 times
Downloaded: 60 times
LYAS Publisher cordially invites qualified professionals to serve as Editors or Reviewers. Your expertise will make an important contribution to maintaining and strengthening the academic quality of our publications. Interested applicants are kindly requested to complete the application form at the following link: Editors & Reviewers
Please feel free to contact us if you need any further information about the submission process or if you have any additional questions.
Authors:
Oyebanji Israel Temitope1, Ogunbiyi David Oluwabukunmi2, Oyunwola Taiwo Olayinka3 
Copyright :
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.
Main Article Content
Abstract
Although cancer care is often dominated by biomedical treatment, the psychosocial and existential dimensions of patients’ experiences remain critical to health outcomes and quality of life. This study examines the impact of spiritual practices on health outcomes and quality of life among cancer patients in Ibadan, Nigeria, with particular attention to coping mechanisms, religiously shaped health perceptions, and the integration of spiritual care within clinical practice. Addressing a gap in culturally relevant and patient-centred cancer care models in Nigeria, the study employed a phenomenological approach involving 20 purposively selected patients. The findings show that spiritual practices function as important frameworks for meaning-making, emotional support, and enhanced self-efficacy, thereby strengthening patients’ resilience and capacity to cope with illness. At the same time, variations across Christianity, Islam, and African Traditional Religions, together with experiences of spiritual struggle and inadequate institutional support, reveal the complexity of integrating spiritual care into oncology settings. The study concludes that spiritual care can substantially enhance holistic well-being when it is aligned with patients’ beliefs and contexts. This research contributes to the development of more culturally adaptive and holistic cancer care by underscoring the need for spiritual care training for healthcare providers, collaboration with religious leaders, and the design of context-sensitive interventions that harmonize medical and spiritual support.
Citation Metrics:
Article Details
References
Ajayi, O. O., & Akerele, O. R. (2025). Metabolic syndrome and common cancers in Nigeria: A systematic review between 1999 and 2022. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management, 29(3), 891–900.
Balboni, T. A., VanderWeele, T. J., Doan-Soares, S. D., Long, K. N. G., Ferrell, B. R., Fitchett, G., Koenig, H. G., Bain, P. A., Puchalski, C., Steinhauser, K. E., Sulmasy, D. P., & Koh, H. K. (2022). Spirituality in serious illness and health. JAMA, 328(2), 184–197. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.11086
Bangcola, A. A. (2021). The development of Spiritual Nursing Care Theory using deductive axiomatic approach. Belitung Nursing Journal, 7(3), 163–170. https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.1456
Bizuayehu, H. M., Dadi, A. F., Hassen, T. A., Ketema, D. B., Ahmed, K. Y., Kassa, Z. Y., Amsalu, E., Kibret, G. D., Alemu, A. A., Alebel, A., Shifa, J. E., Assefa, Y., Tessema, G. A., Sarich, P., Gebremedhin, A. F., & Bore, M. G. (2024). Global burden of 34 cancers among women in 2020 and projections to 2040: Population-based data from 185 countries/territories. International Journal of Cancer, 154(8), 1377–1393. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.34809
Casco-Gallardo, K. I., Torres-Soto, N. Y., Orozco-González, C. N., Pérez-Briones, N. G., Guerrero-Solano, J. A., Maldonado-Muñiz, G., Trejo-García, C. A., & López-Nolasco, B. (2024). Perception of complementary medicine and treatment adherence as predictors of self-efficacy in individuals with chronic conditions in Mexico. Nursing Reports, 14(2), 1517–1527. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep14020114
Dubey, M. J., Ghosh, R., Das, G., Roy, D., Das, S., Chakraborty, A. P., Chatterjee, S., Dubey, S., & Benito-León, J. (2025). Beyond belief and practice: An exploratory literature review and discussion of the differential impact of spirituality and religiosity on mental health disorders. Journal of Religion and Health, 64(3), 1876–1889. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-024-02090-9
Jiakponna, E. C., Agbomola, J. O., Ipede, O., Karakitie, L. O., Ogunsina, A. J., Adebayo, K. T., & Tinuoye, M. O. (2024). Psychosocial factors in chronic disease management: Implications for health psychology. International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 12(2), 117–128. https://ijsra.net/content/psychosocial-factors-chronic-disease-management-implications-health-psychology
Johariya, V., Joshi, A., Malviya, N., & Malviya, S. (2023). Introduction to cancer. In Medicinal plants and cancer chemoprevention (pp. 1–28). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003251712-1
Koenig, H. G., & Al Zaben, F. (2021). Psychometric validation and translation of religious and spiritual measures. Journal of Religion and Health, 60(5), 3467–3483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01373-9
Mao, J. J., Pillai, G. G., Andrade, C. J., Ligibel, J. A., Basu, P., Cohen, L., Khan, I. A., Mustian, K. M., Puthiyedath, R., Dhiman, K. S., Lao, L., Ghelman, R., Cáceres Guido, P., Lopez, G., Gallego-Perez, D. F., & Salicrup, L. A. (2022). Integrative oncology: Addressing the global challenges of cancer prevention and treatment. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 72(2), 144–164. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21706
Opsomer, S., De Lepeleire, J., Lauwerier, E., & Pype, P. (2020). Resilience in family caregivers of patients diagnosed with advanced cancer—unravelling the process of bouncing back from difficult experiences, a hermeneutic review. European Journal of General Practice, 26(1), 79–85. https://doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2020.1784876
Oyebanji, I. T. (2023). Flooding as a natural and moral evil: A philosophical and ethical analysis of the Ogunpa floods in Ibadan, Nigeria. MAHABBAH: Journal of Religion and Education, 4(2), 85–99. https://mahabbah.org/e-journal/index.php/mjre/article/view/125
Oyebanji, I. T. (2024a). A religio-philosophical appraisal of moral evil in relation to banditry in Nigeria. Corpus Intellectual, 3(1). https://corpusintellectual.run.edu.ng/articles/a-religio-philosophical-appraisal-of-moral-evil-in-relation-to-banditry-in-nigeria
Oyebanji, I. T. (2024b). Perceptions of artificial insemination among members of the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Ife DCC Headquarters, Ibadan: A religio-ethical analysis. MAHABBAH: Journal of Religion and Education, 5(2), 89–102. https://e-journal.mahabbah.org/index.php/mjre/article/view/127
Oyebanji, I. T. (2025). The complex interplay between religion and healthcare in Nigeria: Historical roots, current dynamics, and future implications. Kwaghe International Journal of Arts, Humanities and Religious Studies, 2(2), 99–129. https://doi.org/10.58578/kijahrs.v2i2.6812
Oyebanji, I. T., Ogunbiyi, D. O., Segun, A. I., & Oyunwola, T. O. (2025). Name change and its religio-ethical implications among the Yoruba. African Journal of Religious and Theological Studies, 4(1), 18–33. https://afropolitanjournals.com/index.php/ajrts/article/view/851
Oyebanji, I. T., Oyunwola, T. O. (2024). Religious leaders as peacebuilders: Assessing the role of Christian and Muslim clergy in conflict prevention in Southwest Nigeria. MAHABBAH: Journal of Religion and Education, 5(1), 16–31. https://e-journal.mahabbah.org/index.php/mjre/article/view/124
Oyebanji, I. T., Oyunwola, T. O., Segun, A. I., & Ogunbiyi, D. O. (2025). Artificial intelligence and its effects on Christian youths’ spirituality. African Journal of Religious and Theological Studies, 4(1), 34–52. https://afropolitanjournals.com/index.php/ajrts/article/view/900
Schramme, T. (2023). Health as complete well-being: The WHO definition and beyond. Public Health Ethics, 16(3), 210–218. https://doi.org/10.1093/phe/phad017
Ukpo, S. D., Imohiosen, C. E., Owot, J. A., & Ajuluchukwu, P. (2024). The impact of religious and spiritual counseling on mental health outcomes in geriatric care. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 5(6), 1538–1547. https://www.allmultidisciplinaryjournal.com/uploads/archives/20250222154230_MGE-2025-1-417.1.pdf
Yazbeck, V., Alesi, E., Myers, J., Hackney, M. H., Cuttino, L., & Gewirtz, D. A. (2022). An overview of chemotoxicity and radiation toxicity in cancer therapy. Advances in Cancer Research, 155, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acr.2022.03.007
Yeary, K. H. K., Alcaraz, K. I., Ashing, K. T., Chiu, C., Christy, S. M., Felsted, K. F., Lu, Q., Lumpkins, C. Y., Masters, K. S., Newton, R. L., Park, C. L., Shen, M. J., Silfee, V. J., Yanez, B., & Yi, J. (2020). Considering religion and spirituality in precision medicine. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 10(1), 195–203. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibz105
Yilmaz, M., & Cengiz, H. Ö. (2020). The relationship between spiritual well-being and quality of life in cancer survivors. Palliative & Supportive Care, 18(1), 55–62. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951519000464
Zorlu, E. (2025). The phenomenology of the search for meaning from the perspective of spiritual counseling and care: Freedom and spirituality in Kierkegaard. Türk Manevi Danışmanlık ve Rehberlik Dergisi, 12, 49–102. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/tmdrd/article/1660551