The Relationship between Cancer and the Patients' Religious Beliefs

Aims: Religious beliefs can help the patients with cancer to cope with the physical and mental sufferings following diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of cancer on the patients’ religious beliefs.
Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional.
Place and Duration: Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, November 2012- July 2013.
Methods: This study was conducted on 200 cancer patients referred to oncology, hematology, and chemotherapy of Namazi hospital in Shiraz. The age range of the patients was 30-45 years old and they took part in the study voluntarily. The instrument used in this study was Bastami questionnaire (2008). The questionnaires were filled out by the patients and analyzed in SPSS. A p value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Results: There were significant differences between relationship with God, reliance on God, and obedience to God’s commands before and after the disease; the mean scores of the above-mentioned domains before the disease were lower than those after the disease. However, there was no significant difference in the patients’ belief in God’s presence before and after the disease.
Conclusion: Cancer, as a chronic and troublesome disease, can affect the patients’ religious beliefs and enhance their relationship with God.