Spirituality Experiences in Hemophilia Patients: A Phenomenological Study

Spirituality plays an important role in coping with chronic diseases. However, the meaning of spirituality is not known in hemophilia, as a chronic disease. This study aimed to explore the essence of spirituality in hemophilia patients. This qualitative study with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was conducted on twelve Muslim adult hemophilia patients. The participants were selected using purposeful sampling. The data were gathered through interview. Then, the data were analyzed using thematic analysis and van Manen’s methodological framework. MAX.QDA qualitative software package 2010 was used to import the transcripts and analyze the data. Four themes were identified: “relationship with God,” “God as the fulcrum,” “strong religious beliefs,” and “spiritual satisfaction.” “Relationship with God” meant “to ask God for help” and “praying for oneself and others.” “God as the fulcrum” consisted of two subthemes, i.e., “hope in God” and “Trust in God.” “Strong religious beliefs” also included “belief in openness of God’s mercy,” “belief in God and the omnipotence of God,” and “belief in creation by God.” Finally, “spiritual satisfaction” consisted of two subthemes, namely “accepting the providence” and “thanking the divine blessings.” Spirituality in hemophilia patients meant having relationship with God who was considered as the fulcrum, strong religious beliefs, and spiritual satisfaction. By understanding the hemophilia patients’ spirituality experiences, the nurses and healthcare workers could provide holistic care focused on spirituality. Yet, more studies are recommended to be conducted on hemophilia patients to explore spirituality in other religions.