The Influence of Spirituality on the Quality of Life of Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Literature Review

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that profoundly affects patients’ physical, emotional, and social well-being. This literature review aims to examine the relationship between spirituality and the quality of life of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, ISJD, Sage Journals, and JSTOR for studies published between 2018 and 2023. Ten articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed using a thematic synthesis approach. The results indicate that higher levels of spirituality are positively associated with improved quality of life, primarily through enhanced stress regulation, optimism, self-care behaviors, and social support. Spiritual well-being fosters resilience and adaptive coping, which collectively improve health outcomes. Although spirituality cannot replace medical therapy, it serves as an essential complementary component in holistic diabetes management. Future studies are recommended to explore culturally contextualized spiritual interventions to optimize patient care,