Religion, Culture and Meaning-Making Coping : A Study Among Cancer Patients in Malaysia

• The present study aimed to explore the use of meaning-making coping mechanisms (existential, spiritual and religious coping) among ethnic Malay cancer patients in Malaysia and to investigate the impact of culture on their choice of coping methods. Twenty-nine participants with various kinds of cancer were interviewed. Four kinds of coping resources emerged from analyses of the interview transcripts: (1) relying on transcendent power, (2) supernatural or mystical beliefs, (3) finding oneself in relationships with others and (4) nature. In this article, the two first resources are in focus. The present findings suggest that Malay culture, which is imbued with Islamic belief, strongly influences cancer patients’ coping methods and ways of looking at their experience of being cancer patients. 

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Culture and coping

Existential coping methods

Malay cancer patients

Meaning-making coping

RCOPE (religious coping methods)

Spiritual-oriented coping

adult

article

cancer patient

clinical article

female

genetic transcription

human

interview

Malaysia

male

religion

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)