Awareness, Practices and Challenges of Myanmar Health Professionals in Spiritual Care for Advanced Cancer

Abstract

Background: Spiritual care is increasingly recognized as an essential component of holistic healthcare, particularly for patients with serious illnesses like cancer. Healthcare providers must be equipped with appropriate knowledge and skills to address these spiritual needs effectively. This study aimed to assess the awareness, practices, and challenges faced by health professionals in Myanmar in providing spiritual care to cancer patients.

Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from January to May 2022 with 120 participants from various healthcare settings in Myanmar. A structured survey questionnaire was used to collect data on participants' awareness, practices, and challenges related to spiritual care.

Results: Most participants were moderately religious (78%) and believed their faith influenced their care (54%). While 86% had provided spiritual care to at least one cancer patient, 77.5% lacked specific training in this area. Major barriers to providing spiritual care included time constraints (95%), patient-doctor/nurse power imbalances (93%), and inadequate training (95%). Despite these challenges, the majority expressed a willingness to practice spiritual care for holistic healing.

Conclusion: This study highlighted Myanmar health professionals’ recognition and strong motivation to integrate spiritual care into cancer treatment, often rooted in own religious beliefs. However, consistent implementation was hindered by limited training, institutional support, and role clarity. Addressing structural barriers such as staffing constraints and time pressures through strategies like telemedicine and efficient scheduling, alongside targeted education and policy development, is crucial. These efforts could foster a more holistic, culturally sensitive care model that honors patients’ spiritual needs and emotional well-being.