Publication
Spirituality in palliative care: a systematic review of aromatherapy interventions
| Summary: | Spirituality is pivotal in the comprehensive care of patients, particularly in palliative care, where attention extends beyond physical ailments to emotional and spiritual dimensions. Aromatherapy, leveraging aromatic plant extracts and essential oils, has emerged as a promising complementary therapy, offering potential benefits for symptom management and overall well-being. However, integrating spirituality into aromatherapy interventions within palliative care remains underexplored in the existing literature. This systematic review aims to bridge this gap by synthesizing available evidence on aromatherapy interventions in the context of spirituality within palliative care. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted to identify relevant studies. The review assessed the effectiveness of aromatherapy as a complementary intervention in promoting spiritual well-being among patients in palliative care. Results: No studies met the inclusion criteria. Conclusions: The absence of eligible studies highlights a significant gap in the literature on this topic. Further research must elucidate the relationship between aromatherapy, spirituality, and palliative care. |
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| Main Authors: | Matos, Ana Rita Sousa |
| Other Authors: | Pires, Telma; Martins, Maria; Almeida, Carlos; Gonçalves, Sara |
| Subject: | Aromatherapy Essential oils Palliative care Palliative medicine Spirituality |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Document type: | article |
| Access type: | open access |
| Associated institution: | Instituto Politécnico de Bragança |
| Language: | English |
| Origin: | Biblioteca Digital do IPB |
| Summary: | Spirituality is pivotal in the comprehensive care of patients, particularly in palliative care, where attention extends beyond physical ailments to emotional and spiritual dimensions. Aromatherapy, leveraging aromatic plant extracts and essential oils, has emerged as a promising complementary therapy, offering potential benefits for symptom management and overall well-being. However, integrating spirituality into aromatherapy interventions within palliative care remains underexplored in the existing literature. This systematic review aims to bridge this gap by synthesizing available evidence on aromatherapy interventions in the context of spirituality within palliative care. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted to identify relevant studies. The review assessed the effectiveness of aromatherapy as a complementary intervention in promoting spiritual well-being among patients in palliative care. Results: No studies met the inclusion criteria. Conclusions: The absence of eligible studies highlights a significant gap in the literature on this topic. Further research must elucidate the relationship between aromatherapy, spirituality, and palliative care. |
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