Spirituality and Mental Health

The importance of spirituality and its impact on the mental health of palliative care patients has been reported by various studies. It plays an important role as a coping mechanism, namely as a source of strength and support. The interdisciplinary team is essential to adequately address patients’ spiritual and psychological suffering; however, the spiritual dimension is still poorly addressed in the palliative care context. The integration of spirituality into psychological support has emerged as a comprehensive and holistic approach, given the contribution that spiritual assessment can have in psychological care to improve patient wellbeing and quality of life. This approach will enable the mental healthcare professional to identify the patients’ values, beliefs, fears, distress, and needs, thus assisting to reduce aspects of psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression.