Background: For patients with advanced or terminal cancer undergoing hospice or palliative care, spiritual care based on meaning-centered intervention (MCI) has become an essential form of support.
Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize MCI systematically and the effectiveness of hospice and palliative care for patients with advanced or terminal cancer.
Methods: MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library CENTRAL, EMBASE, CINAHL, and several Korean electronic databases were searched from inception to May 2017. The RevMan 5.3 program of the Cochrane Library was used for data analysis.
Results: A meta-analysis was conducted of 10 controlled trials (6 randomized and 4 nonrandomized) featuring 623 patients with cancer. Meaning-centered interventions were compared with usual care control groups or other psychosocial interventions. The weighted average effect sizes across studies were -0.96 (P < .001, I = 7%) for meaning in life, -0.37 (P = .002, I = 0%) for spiritual well-being, -0.48 (P < .001, I = 0%) for quality of life, -0.28 (P = .02, I = 0%) for anxiety, and -0.31 (P = .02, I = 17%) for physical symptoms.
Conclusion: Spiritual care based on MCI may help to improve the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual well-being of patients with advanced or terminal cancer.
Implication for practice: Meaning-centered interventions could be a valuable way to enhance quality of life at the end stage for patients with advanced or terminal cancer.