Differences in perceived spiritual needs between nurses and patients with cancer: a comparative cross-sectional study

Spiritual needs are an important but often overlooked component of holistic cancer care. Although nurses play a central role in identifying and addressing these needs, their perceptions may not always correspond to those of patients. This study compared perceived spiritual needs among patients with cancer and nurses and examined demographic and clinical factors associated with overall spiritual-needs scores. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 patients with cancer and 120 nurses. Spiritual needs were assessed using a 20-item questionnaire covering four domains: Religious Needs, Inner Peace, Existential Needs, and Active Giving. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize questionnaire scores, and multiple linear regression was performed to examine factors associated with the overall score in each group. Patients reported higher overall spiritual-needs scores than nurses (1.83 ± 0.19 vs. 1.50 ± 0.20). Among patients, Religious Needs had the highest mean score (2.14 ± 0.34), followed by Existential Needs (1.97 ± 0.33), Inner Peace (1.84 ± 0.34), and Active Giving (1.38 ± 0.34). Among nurses, Inner Peace showed the highest domain score (1.77 ± 0.35), followed by Religious Needs (1.55 ± 0.33), Existential Needs (1.45 ± 0.36), and Active Giving (1.24 ± 0.34). Regression analysis showed no significant association between the examined demographic and clinical characteristics and patients’ overall spiritual-needs scores. Among nurses, greater work experience was inversely associated with the overall score. Patients with cancer reported greater spiritual needs than nurses perceived, particularly regarding religious and existential concerns. These findings highlight the importance of direct, patient-centred spiritual assessment and suggest that nursing education should strengthen nurses’ skills in recognizing and responding to diverse spiritual needs.