Association of spirituality and quality of life in cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PurposeCancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although people are living longer with cancer, cancer has the potential to impact survivors' quality of life (QOL) negatively. Spirituality encompasses the concepts of transcendence, meaningfulness, faith, connectedness, and integrative energy. Spirituality is a part of everyday existence across cultures and religions and part of the human experience. Yet little has been published on spirituality in cancer survivorship. We could not find any previous reviews that examined the literature on the potential relationship between QOL and spirituality in cancer survivorship. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aim to examine the current literature to more fully understand the relationship between spirituality and QOL.MethodsUsing PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to examine the relationship between spirituality and QOL in cancer survivorship in studies sourced from PubMed, CINHAL, and PsycINFO databases.ResultsTwenty-six articles published between 2005 and 2024 were included for review. All studies demonstrated a significant, positive correlation between QOL and spirituality, with r values ranging from 0.15 to 0.817.ConclusionOur findings suggest a positive correlation between higher spirituality and increased QOL among cancer survivors. Future research is needed to improve the understanding of this relationship and its mediators so that supportive oncologic interventions can be modified to address unmet needs and spiritual suffering. By better understanding the relationship between spirituality and QOL, we can move towards supporting the highest level of QOL possible for cancer survivors.