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Background & Aim: Spiritual well-being, religion, and hope are important factors in coping with cancer among patients. Nurses need to understand these concepts within a cultural context. This study aimed to determine the relationship between spiritual well-being, religion, and hope in patients with cancer.

Methods & Materials: In this cross-sectional study, 164 patients with cancer were selected using sequential convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a four-part questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation and multivariate regression analysis were used to analyses the data.

Results: There were significant correlations between the existential well-being, religious well-being, and the hope. There were also significant correlations between the intrinsic religious, religious practices, and the hope. Existential well-being, organizational religiousness and intrinsic religious beliefs predicted hope.

Conclusion: The results of this study emphasized on the importance of the spiritual well-being and religion as variables affecting on hope in patients with cancer. This would help nurses and clinical specialists to focus on religion and spirituality well-being in order to increase hope in the patients.

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  Background & Aim: The HIV infection is a serious health problem with major effects on various aspects of life. It is essential to understand the lived experiences of patients living with HIV/AIDS. The present study was conducted to investigate affected patients' lived experiences .

  Methods & Materials: This qualitative study was carried out using an interpretative, phenomenological approach. Nineteen patients with HIV/AIDS were selected using purposive sampling method. Field notes, in-depth and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and were analyzed using the hermeneutic approach developed by Diekelmann (1989) . 

  Results: From 19 participants, 57.9% were males. Mean age was 39 years 42.1% were single 47.4% had CD4 counts less than 200 cells/mm3. The main emerged themes were as follows: 1) death way 2) halo of worries 3) hope to cure. Based on the final step of the Diekelmann approach, "being in state of hope and fear" was emerged as a constitutive pattern in patients living with HIV/AIDS .

  Conclusion: Patients with HIV/AIDS experienced fears, doubts, worries, hopes and many emotional challenges in different aspects of their lives. Caregivers should understand and comprehend the emotional states of the patients. Health care providers should design effective interventions to help individuals to cope with HIV/AIDS .

  

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Background & Aim: Promoting hope in hemodialysis patients is very important. Various methods have been suggested in order to raise hope in patients with chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an illness perception-based intervention on hope in patients with hemodialysis.
Methods & Materials: This is a randomized clinical trial (IRCT2016103130609N1) on 120 hemodialysis patients admitted in the dialysis department of Bou Ali Sina hospital in Qazvin from December to February 2016. The samples were randomly assigned into control and intervention groups. Before the intervention, questionnaires including demographic information, the Herth hope scale and a summarized form of illness perception were completed. The intervention group received the illness perception-based intervention in three sessions of 30 minutes each, prior to hemodialysis. Four weeks later, the Herth hope scale and illness perception questionnaire were re-completed by the both groups. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test and ANCOVA using the SPSS software version 23.
Results: Results showed no statistically significant differences in hope scores between the two groups (P=0.5589) but after the intervention, hope scores significantly increased in the experimental group (36.54±2.98) compared to the control group (33.88±3.76) (P<0.001).
Conclusion: The result of the present study indicated the illness perception-based intervention was effective in enhancing hope in the patients underwent hemodialysis. Therefore, this intervention is recommended for hemodialysis patients.
 

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Background & Aim: Frustration is one of the important psychological consequences for the elderly in the nursing home. Spiritual care is a unique aspect of nursing care that can be a strong response to the dealing with frustration. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of spiritual care education on hope in the elderly residents of nursing homes.
Methods & Materials: The present study was a before-and-after semi-experimental study, conducted in 2018 on 35 elderly residents of nursing homes in Hamadan, assigned into two groups of intervention (35 people) and control (35 people). At the beginning of the study, both groups completed the Schneider hope scale. For the intervention group, the intervention based on spiritual care was performed in three sessions. The post-test was performed for both groups after one month. Spearman correlation and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to analyze the data through the SPSS software version 16.
Results: There was no significant difference in overall hope score between the groups of intervention (22.94±9.80) and control (25.94±3.86) before the intervention (P=0.085); but after the intervention, there was a significant difference between the intervention (42.94±6.04) and control (23.80±4.09) groups (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Considering the positive effect of spiritual care on hope in the elderly in this research, planning for spiritual education is essential in this group of people.
 

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Background & Aim: Acute coronary syndrome is the most common cardiovascular disorder. Hope and optimism lead to adaptation to and moderation of the damaging effects of depressed mood on the outcome of this disorder. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of positive psychology-based audio messages on hope and optimism among patients with acute coronary syndrome.
Methods & Materials: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 84 patients with acute coronary syndrome were assigned to either intervention or control groups in Shahrekord educational hospitals in 2017-2018. The intervention group received audio messages based on positive psychology and cardiovascular self-care, and control group only received self-care messages in two hospital admissions and six weeks after discharge. The Life Orientation Test-Revised and the Snyder's Hope Scale were completed before the intervention, at the discharge time, one week and six weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed by c² and Fisher exact tests and analysis of variance using the SPSS software version 20.
Results: No significant difference is observed in the mean score of hope before the intervention and at the discharge time. However, the mean score of hope was significantly different between the two groups, one week and six weeks after the intervention (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the mean score of optimism between the two groups before the intervention. Nevertheless, difference in the mean score of optimism was significant at the discharge time (P=0.027), one week and six weeks after the intervention (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Positive psychology-based messages improve hope and optimism in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Therefore, this intervention is recommended along with other treatments.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT2017092532764N4
 

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Background & Aim: Postoperative pain, anxiety and sleep disturbances are common among patients undergoing orthopedic surgery, often leading to increased physical complications and substantial healthcare costs. Given the rising interest in non-pharmacological methods such as aromatherapy, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of lavender inhalation aromatherapy in alleviating pain, anxiety and enhancing sleep quality in patients post-orthopedic surgery.
Methods & Materials: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 2022 at a trauma center in Isfahan, involving 80 patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Eligible patients were recruited through consecutive sampling and were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=40) or the control group (n=40). The intervention included inhalation of 100% pure lavender essential oil over a period of three days, while the control group received standard postoperative care. The study employed the Standard Spielberger anxiety questionnaires, the St. Marry’s Hospital Sleep Questionnaire (SMHSQ), and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for data collection. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and one-way repeated measures analysis of variance, utilizing SPSS software version 26.
Results: Post-intervention analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the average scores of anxiety and sleep quality between the intervention and control groups (P<0.001). Additionally, the average pain scores exhibited significant differences at all time points across both groups (P<0.001).
Conclusion: The findings show that lavender aromatherapy significantly reduces pain and anxiety while improving sleep quality in patients following orthopedic surgery. Given these positive effects, the integration of this cost-effective and easily accessible intervention is recommended as a complementary treatment, alongside conventional methods.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20111002007692N3