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Spiritual Complexity in Palliative Home Care in Spain: A Multi-center Prospective Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study examined spiritual complexity in end-of-life patients cared for by palliative care teams in Catalonia, Spain, using the HexCom model. Among 1818 patients (55.9% men, average age 75.7), spiritual complexity remained stable (37.5% initially, 35.5% final), while high complexity increased from 8.3 to 11.2%. Intrapersonal complexity was the most common (19.7%), followed by transpersonal (18.4%), and interpersonal (6.8%). Emotional complexity was strongly correlated with spiritual complexity. Key factors included cognitive impairment as a protector and how spiritual complexity sub-areas relate to desires to hasten death, family relationships, and end-of-life circumstances. The findings emphasize integrating spiritual care into routine interdisciplinary care.

Source: Journal of Religion and Health

DOI: 10.1007/s10943-025-02300-y

Authors: Xavier Busquet-Duran, Eduard Moreno-Gabriel, Maria Verdaguer, Eva Maria Jiménez-Zafra, Josep Maria Manresa-Domínguez, Pere Torán-Monserrat

Institutions: Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universitat de Girona

Language: English

Topic: Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology

Subfield: Health

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,290