Coping religioso/espiritual de familiares de crianças e adolescentes com câncer

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Cancer is a malignant disease that can affect the blood system and supporting tissues of children and adolescents, being one of the main causes of death in this age group. The journey undertaken by family members from diagnosis to treatment is complex and stressful, eliciting feelings of fear, distress, and anxiety in response to changes in routine. Religious/spiritual coping is a commonly employed method to alleviate the impacts caused by stressors. In the context of cancer, it has been identified as essential for a promoting humanized and comprehensive health care. OBJECTIVE: To assess the religious/spiritual coping of family members of children and adolescents with cancer. METHOD: A descriptive, exploratory study with a quantitative approach. Data were collected from 30 family members in a non-profit institution in the Zona da Mata Mineira region through a questionnaire covering sociodemographic information and a brief scale of religious/spiritual coping. Analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The total coping value obtained was 3.7, with an average positive coping score of 3.3 and a negative coping score of 1.8. The ratio was 0.5, indicating a leaning towards the use of positive coping strategies. CONCLUSION: It was observed that family members used coping as a method of dealing with the disease, emphasizing positive strategies. These results highlight the need for attention to the health of family members, especially in the spiritual dimension, supporting the necessity of a care plan that includes interventions aimed at promoting spiritual well-being.