This study is inspired by advancing wellness through personalized, holistic, and compassionate care. This research project will focus on the effects of prayer on individuals diagnosed with cancer. You will be asked to provide information that will enhance and enrich this research and contribute to the results.

Participation in this research project is voluntary. It will involve 4 weeks of practicing prayer as a therapeutic intervention, once per day at the same time each day for 15 minutes. It will also include completing surveys at the start of the study and then once a week, which will take approximately 20 minutes in total to complete. The surveys will also be administered over the 4-week time period. Both the prayer intervention and the surveys will be self-conducted. These surveys will ask you questions about your emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual health. You may decline to answer any of the questions if you wish. Further, you may decide to withdraw from this study at any time without any negative consequences by advising the researcher.

Data collected during this research project will be retained for three (3) years in a secure location at the American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). Only those associated with this project will have access. There are no known or anticipated risks to you as a participant in this research project, and all information provided by you will be kept in strict confidence.

Although there is no direct benefit to you for participating in this study, we feel your participation will likely produce benefits for the future. This study will analyze the therapeutic potential of prayer as a complementary intervention in integrative cancer care, encouraging a more holistic approach to treatment through spiritual support. Through a series of questionnaires on emotional, physical, and spiritual health, subjective well-being, and prayer habits, this study will survey the effects of prayer as a means of improving quality of life during cancer, promoting further research into prayer as a recognized integrative therapy, and improving the future of holistic cancer care.

This research project has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through the Institutional Review Board at the American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS), Portland, OR.

If you have any questions regarding this research project or would like additional information to assist you in reaching a decision about participation, please contact:

sara.raider@achs.edu