Factors Related to Spiritual Needs Among Older Adult Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery

Abstract

This descriptive correlation research aimed at studying the level of spiritual needs and factors related to spiritual needs among older adult patients undergoing elective surgery. The sample of 120 older adult patients in Chonburi hospital were randomly selected by simple random sampling. The research instruments included personal data interview, Barthel activities of daily living, perceived severity of illness, relationship in family and spiritual needs among older adult patients undergoing elective surgery. This study was conducted March-April 2015. Data were analyzed by Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient and Point biserial correlation coefficient. The research results showed that the sample (90%) had high level of spiritual needs (M = 76.03, SD= 8.64). Age was moderate level statistically significant positive relationship (r = 0.38, p < 0.01), gender was low level statistically significant positive relationship (rpb= 0.25, p < 0.01), activities of daily living (ADL) was low level statistically significant negative relationship (r = 0.22, p < 0.05) and perceived severity of illness was low level statistically significant positive relationship (r = 0.22, p < 0.05). However, type of surgery and relationship in family were not statistically significant relationship with spiritual needs in the sample. Health care providers should focus on the spiritual care among older adult patients who are older,
female, low activities of daily living and high perceived severity of illness. The findings can be used as the basis for establishing clinical nursing practice guidelines or nursing programs to meet the spiritual needs among this group.