Spiritual and religious assistance to cancer patients in the hospital context

Objective: To investigate how patients with diagnosis of cancer conceive the religious/spiritual support in the hospital context. Methods: Exploratory study, with qualitative approach, conducted with patients affected by cancer, assisted in the Medical and Surgical Clinic of the University Hospital Lauro Wanderley (HULW/UFPB). Results: From the analysis of the qualitative data, after attentive readings of the speeches of the interviewed, the following thematic categories emerged: Category 1 - Meaning of the religious/spiritual support received during hospitalization; Category 2 - Promoters of the religious/spiritual support in the hospital environment; Category 3 - Participation in religious/spiritual activities during hospitalization. Conclusion: The results revealed that religiosity/spirituality is an important tactic in facing the oncologic disease, considering that the patients interviewed reported the positive meaning of the support received, because faith provides a constructive way of thinking. Thus, it was possible to evidence the relevance of the religious/spiritual support for oncologic patients during the hospital stay