Use of Prayer among Persons with Cancer

Abstract

This study explored how persons use prayer to cope with cancer. Employing phenomenologic methods, 30 informants were interviewed in depth about why, when, and how they prayed, as well as what they prayed for and the outcomes expected. Findings detail how patients use prayer to ease the physical, emotional, and spiritual distresses of illness. A range of approaches to prayer and topics for prayer was observed, often determined by illness circumstances. The article provides a discussion that begins to suggest how these data can inform clinical practice and future research. © 2002 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.