What the study found
The Italian version of the FICA© Spiritual History Tool was reported as clear, understandable, and focused on exploring spirituality in end-of-life conversations. The findings also indicated that spirituality was an important source of support for many Italian patients with terminal cancer.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that healthcare providers should be informed about and encouraged to use this tool to gather information about patients' spiritual history and perspectives. They suggest this may support personalized care beyond physical illness.
What the researchers tested
The researchers translated and culturally adapted the FICA© Spiritual History Tool into Italian using forward-backward translation. They then applied it in in-person conversations with 80 of 95 eligible terminally ill cancer patients and analyzed the responses thematically.
What worked and what didn't
The study found that spirituality was most often reflected through the Catholic faith. Some participants reported no specific religious community and said they relied mainly on support from family and friends. The tool appeared suitable for eliciting spirituality-related themes in this sample.
What to keep in mind
This was a preliminary assessment in a sample of Italian end-of-life cancer patients, so the abstract does not describe broader generalization. The available summary does not report detailed limitations beyond the study scope.
Key points
- The Italian FICA© Spiritual History Tool was described as clear and understandable.
- Spirituality was reported as a source of support for many terminal cancer patients in the study.
- Catholic faith was the most frequently mentioned spiritual reference.
- Some participants said they did not belong to a religious community and relied on family and friends.
- The tool was translated, culturally adapted, and used in in-person conversations with 80 patients.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Italian FICA tool was clear and reflected patients’ spirituality
- Authors:
- Andrea Bovero, Arianna Scomazzon, Irene Di Girolamo, Chiara Lamannis, Christina M. Puchalski, Mario Cagna, Francesca Cotardo
- Institutions:
- Azienda Mobilità e Trasporti, Azienda Ospedaliera Citta' della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Azienda Ospedaliera Citta' della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Azienda Ospedaliera Citta' della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, George Washington University, University of Turin, University of Turin
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-08
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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