The Importance of Religion, Spirituality, and Spiritual Care in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract In this article, we discussed the relationship between religion and spirituality, as well as spiritual care in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) to emphasize the importance of spiritual care for MS patients. Religion is a law that Allah communicated to smart people through the prophets that leads people to peace, goodness, blessings, and salvation in this world and in the hereafter. Spirituality is a dimension of religion. It is referred to as a religious process of reformation that “aims to recover the original shape of man,” oriented at “the image of Allah” as exemplified by the founders and sacred texts of the religions of the world. Spiritual care is a growing type of health care which goes beyond biophysical and social needs and relates to patients' and relatives' existential and spiritual needs. In the United States, nearly two-thirds of patients with MS currently use religious services to improve their health or well-being. Religion is positively correlated to mental health among patients with MS. More disabled MS patients, with worse quality of life, also due to physical pain, find a source of comfort in faith and religious practices. A significant positive correlation was found between religious health and existential with self-esteem. A significant relationship was found between spiritual health and hope in the patients with MS. Spiritual well-being was negatively associated with depression and pain interference in MS patients. The motivational interviewing also improved health promoting behaviors in patients with MS. Lastly, we would like to emphasize that spiritual care is a human right for all patients with a life-limiting, progressive disease. Given this illness trajectory and the multiple complex symptoms associated with MS, spiritual care services would improve the quality of life for MS patients.