The Lived Experience of Spirituality among Type 2 Diabetic Mellitus Patients with Macrovascular and/or Microvascular Complications

Abstract

The purpose of the research was: (a) to explore the lived experience of spirituality among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications; and (b) to describe the meanings of this phenomenon that are discovered in the descriptions of the lived experience of spirituality among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications. Twenty-five male veterans with type 2 diabetic mellitus macrovascular and/or microvascular complications were interviewed from the medical outpatient clinics of an urban hospital. Giorgi's (1985) phenomenology method was used to analyze the interviews. The following eight themes emerged: (a) the comprehension on the vicissitudes of type 2 diabetic patients with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications: Precursor to the spirituality experience; (b) spirituality helps explain the "Why Me?" question among type 2 diabetic patients with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications; (c) relationship with God or a Higher Power in spirituality supports living with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its macrovascular and/or microvascular complications; (d) spirituality promotes self-efficacy in the diabetic management of type 2 diabetic mellitus patients with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications; (e) spirituality generates faith with living among type 2 diabetic mellitus patients with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications; (f) spirituality encourages optimism among type 2 diabetic mellitus patients with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications; (g) spirituality remains unchanged if not stronger or enhanced in type 2 diabetic patients with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications; and (h) the religiosity component of spirituality supplements adaptation or coping in living with type 2 diabetes with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications. The findings concluded that sprituality expands the consciousness of the participants to meet the challenges of type 2 diabetes mellitus with macrovascular and/or microvascular complications with favorable diabetic practices and coping skills. Spirituality is one domain of holistic health that is significant to nursing in enhancing nursing knowledge, spiritual care, and evidence-base existential inquires toward health and healing.