Research conducted over the past few decades has made significant strides toward illuminating the role of spirituality for patients and families living with serious illness. This evidence base demonstrates that spirituality frequently plays a central and complex role in patients’ and families’ experiences of incurable illness, including influencing quality of life, and medical decision-making. Advances in this field of research that expand the understanding of the relationships between spirituality and health outcomes and lead to the rigorous development of interventions to address patient and family spiritual needs hold tremendous potential for improving a comprehensive approach to care in serious illness.

Note: this article was featured in the October 2017 ACPE Research Network Article of the Month