Spiritual Care for Cancer
(PRaCTIS Trial)
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial explores how spiritual care can assist people with advanced lung or gastrointestinal cancer. The study compares chaplain visits (chaplain intervention) to social worker visits to assess their impact on spiritual wellbeing, anxiety, depression, and overall satisfaction with care. Participants will meet weekly for four weeks with either a chaplain or a social worker. This trial may suit those diagnosed with advanced lung or gastrointestinal cancer who feel their spiritual wellbeing is low and are open to discussing their spiritual needs. As an unphased study, it offers a unique opportunity to explore personal spiritual care preferences and enhance overall wellbeing.
Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on spiritual care, so it's unlikely that medication changes are required, but you should confirm with the trial coordinators.
What prior data suggests that this chaplain intervention is safe for cancer patients?
Research has shown that chaplain support can enhance patients' spiritual well-being. Studies with hospitalized patients have found that chaplain visits improve spiritual health. No evidence suggests any negative side effects from these visits. Chaplains provide spiritual care that can also enhance emotional and social well-being. Thus, chaplain visits are generally safe and well-received by patients.12345
Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Researchers are excited about the Chaplain Intervention for cancer patients because it offers a unique form of emotional and spiritual support that isn't typically included in standard cancer care, which often focuses on chemotherapy, radiation, and medication. Unlike typical treatments that target the physical aspects of cancer, this intervention emphasizes holistic well-being by addressing spiritual needs, potentially enhancing overall quality of life. This approach is particularly promising as it can be delivered flexibly in person, over the phone, or via video, making it accessible to more patients and adaptable to their preferences.
What evidence suggests that the Chaplain Intervention might be an effective treatment for cancer patients?
Research has shown that spiritual care, such as visits from a chaplain, can play a crucial role in cancer treatment. In this trial, participants in the Chaplain Intervention Group will receive visits from a board-certified or board-eligible chaplain. Studies have found that patients receiving spiritual support often experience improved spiritual well-being, feeling more at peace and having a stronger sense of purpose. Specifically, one study found that patients visited by a chaplain reported a better overall care experience. Spiritual care has also been linked to reduced anxiety and depression. These findings suggest that chaplain visits can support the mental and emotional health of cancer patients.678910
Who Is on the Research Team?
Alexia M Torke, MD, MS
Principal Investigator
Indiana University
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for adults over 18 with advanced stage IV lung or gastrointestinal cancer, who have a low spiritual well-being score and can consent to participate. They must have access to a phone for sessions and be able to perform basic self-care. Those who've seen a chaplain recently or are in hospice care cannot join.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Treatment
Participants receive either spiritual care intervention or attention control over 4 weeks
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for spiritual wellbeing, anxiety, depression, and satisfaction with spiritual care
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Chaplain Intervention
Trial Overview
The study tests the impact of spiritual care provided by chaplains on patients' spiritual wellbeing, anxiety, depression, satisfaction with the care received, and communication quality. It involves four sessions of either informational support or direct spiritual care.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Eligible and consented participants that are randomized to the Chaplain Intervention Group will receive a total of 4 visits with a board-certified or board-eligible chaplain. These visits will occur weekly for approximately 4 weeks either in person, by telephone, or through a HIPAA compliant video platform. The visits will last an average of 30 minutes each.
Eligible and consented patients randomized to the Attention Control group will receive 4 visits with a trained social worker. The visits will be conducted weekly for approximately 4 weeks. Each visit will take place for approximately 30 minutes.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Indiana University
Lead Sponsor
The Walther Cancer Foundation
Collaborator
Citations
Interprofessional spiritual care in oncology: a literature review
Based on the aforementioned data, it is clear that spirituality plays a fundamental role in care of patients with cancer and may offer a positive impact on ...
Medical Outcomes of Oncology Inpatients With and Without ...
Results: Thirty-one thousand six hundred twenty-three patients were included, of whom 11,053 (35%) received a chaplain spiritual care visit and ...
Spiritual care for adult patients with cancer: from maintaining ...
Yet, process-oriented chaplaincy still requires assessment, interventions, and outcomes in the cultivation of a healing relationship (46,49).
Spiritual care in outpatient oncology: a qualitative study of ...
Eight of 13 chaplain respondents (61.5%) reported that they provided spiritual care exclusively and in a full-time capacity to a cancer center; ...
Interventions to support spirituality among adults with cancer
Spiritual group therapy interventions were found to increase spiritual health and spiritual well-being (meaning, peace, and faith) [30, 37], and ...
Effects of Spiritual Care on Well-being of Intensive Care ...
Although two studies have found chaplain support improved spiritual outcomes for hospitalized patients, studies addressing the effect of ...
Spirituality in Cancer Care (PDQ®) - NCI
Traditionally, hospital chaplains deliver religious or spiritual assistance to patients.[10,11] Hospital chaplains can play a key role because ...
Integrating spiritual care into an ambulatory cancer center.
Our chaplain assessed that 31% (141) had a spiritual need that required regular follow-up and 12% (56) required monitoring.
9.
bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com
bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12904-025-01762-xIdentifying the key components of providing spiritual care in ...
This study underscores the critical role of spiritual care in enhancing patients' physical, psychological, and social well-being, fostering ...
Opening up the black box of chaplaincy: a qualitative study ...
Abstract. This study investigated the reported workings of a narrative and interfaith spiritual care intervention in palliative care at home ...
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