The Role of Islamic Beliefs in Facilitating Acceptance of Cancer Diagnosis
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The authors address a significant issue regarding religious consideration among couples coping with cancer. However, there are several ways in which this manuscript can be further improved:Title: I would suggest revising the title to better reflect the research findings. For instance, a more appropriate title could be "The Role of Islamic Beliefs in Facilitating Acceptance of Cancer Diagnosis."
Abstract: It would be beneficial to clarify the research question in the abstract. For instance, the research question could be stated as follows: "This study aims to investigate the impact of religious beliefs, particularly Islamic beliefs, on the process of accepting a cancer diagnosis among couples."
Terminology: The authors employ the terms "spiritual" and "religious" interchangeably throughout the paper. It is essential to recognize that these two terms carry distinct meanings. Therefore, I recommend providing clear definitions for these terms to ensure a comprehensive understanding for readers.
Data Presentation: It may be advantageous to consolidate the data into a table format. This would greatly enhance readability and comprehension for readers. By organizing the data in a tabular form, key findings can be summarized, facilitating a more efficient understanding of the results.
Overall, these suggestions aim to strengthen the manuscript by improving the clarity of the research question, refining the title to align with the study's findings, providing clear definitions for key terms, and enhancing data presentation through the use of tables. By implementing these recommendations, the paper will offer a more cohesive and reader-friendly experience.
English is good. The sentences are well-structured and convey the intended meaning clearly.
Author Response
Title: I would suggest revising the title to better reflect the research findings. For instance, a more appropriate title could be "The Role of Islamic Beliefs in Facilitating Acceptance of Cancer Diagnosis."
Response 1 : The title has been changed according to this comment.
Abstract: It would be beneficial to clarify the research question in the abstract. For instance, the research question could be stated as follows: "This study aims to investigate the impact of religious beliefs, particularly Islamic beliefs, on the process of accepting a cancer diagnosis among couples."
Response 2 : The research question has been modified (see p.2, ligne 58).
Terminology: The authors employ the terms "spiritual" and "religious" interchangeably throughout the paper. It is essential to recognize that these two terms carry distinct meanings. Therefore, I recommend providing clear definitions for these terms to ensure a comprehensive understanding for readers.
Response 3 : Thank you I added these definitions. (see page 1 ligne 35 to 40.)
Data Presentation: It may be advantageous to consolidate the data into a table format. This would greatly enhance readability and comprehension for readers. By organizing the data in a tabular form, key findings can be summarized, facilitating a more efficient understanding of the results.
Response 3 : Table 2 has been reviewed (please see p.6)
Overall, these suggestions aim to strengthen the manuscript by improving the clarity of the research question, refining the title to align with the study's findings, providing clear definitions for key terms, and enhancing data presentation through the use of tables. By implementing these recommendations, the paper will offer a more cohesive and reader-friendly experience.
Reviewer 2 Report
The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experience of Arab-Muslim couples facing cancer in Canada. This is a very interesting and valuable study.
comments：
1. Line63, I suggest that you construct a theoretical framework for this study based on the theoretical background
2. Please check table 1, there are some wrong data. e.g. %
3. I think the interviewees you selected are not representative enough, Country of birth, Why are there no Arabian Peninsula countries? E.g., Saudi Arabia, Oman, etc
4. The author needs to increase the sample size, 6 couples are too few. You mentioned “In Canada, the city of Montreal contains the largest Arab-Muslim population in the country”, Why did you only choose 6 pairs?
5. In the discussion section, I suggest that you compare your research findings with similar studies in Arab countries or USA, rather than Spain or France... ...
6. I suggest the authors focus on a type of cancer patient rather than mixed types......
7. Why are there no patients with lung cancer?
8. Line 98-101 The questionnaire items provided information on age, level of education, type of employment, marital status, number of children, year of arrival in the province of Quebec (Canada), ethnic origin, branch of Islam of practice, immigration status, and their level of religiosity. However, the information in Table 1 is incomplete. Please supplement
9. Some content in the main text does not need to cite references. Please verify and delete some references.
Author Response
- Line63, I suggest that you construct a theoretical framework for this study based on the theoretical background
Response 1 : Given that this article was written for a master thesis, and that the frameworks used guided the author in developing the interview guide, this comment cannot be addressed. - Please check table 1, there are some wrong data. e.g. %
Response 2 : table 1 was fully revised and the % has been removed. - I think the interviewees you selected are not representative enough, Country of birth, Why are there no Arabian Peninsula countries? E.g., Saudi Arabia, Oman, etc
Response 3: I understand, but no participants from other backgrounds came forward or agreed to participate in our study. However, this has been identified in section 4.1 as a limitation of our study. - The author needs to increase the sample size, 6 couples are too few. You mentioned“In Canada, the city of Montreal contains the largest Arab-Muslim population in the country”, Why did you only choose 6 pairs?
Response 4: Recruitment took place over a six-month period. We interviewed all the couples who approached us, and we didn't get any more participants. However, as mentioned in our article, there was indeed a data saturation after the interviews we conducted. - In the discussion section, I suggest that you compare your research findings with similar studies in Arab countries or USA, rather than Spain or France... ...
Response 5: I addressed this comment. Please see ligne 384 in page 9 - I suggest the authors focus on a type of cancer patient rather than mixed types......
Response 6 : If we do so, that would impact negatively our research results. - Why are there no patients with lung cancer?
Response 7: please see response for the fourth comment. - Line 98-101 The questionnaire items provided information on age, level of education, type of employment, marital status, number of children, year of arrival in the province of Quebec (Canada), ethnic origin, branch of Islam of practice, immigration status, and their level of religiosity. However, the information in Table 1 is incomplete. Please supplement
Response 8 : Table 1 has been completed, but annexed to the article (supplementary material). - Some content in the main text does not need to cite references. Please verify and delete some references.
Response 9 : we judge that the references we used are relevant, I only removed one.
Reviewer 3 Report
Thank you for inviting me to review. The issues raised by the authors are current and important for nursing. The justification for the topic is sufficient. Results clearly presented. The conclusions are well formulated and the discussion is comprehensive and takes into account important items from the current literature.
Author Response
Thank you !
Reviewer 4 Report
The MS: ‘Exploring the Experience of Arab-Muslim Couples Facing Cancer in Canada’ discusses some important spiritual, religious, and cultural issues and challenges in the management of cancer.
A few proposed suggestions for the authors to revise their MS are listed below.
In the Abstract and the main text, the phrase: ‘cancer patients’ should be replaced by: ‘patients with cancer’.
In the Discussion, p # 9, please, remove the redundant part: ’suggest that cancer’.
Perhaps, in the Discussion, the Authors may emphasize the need for the preparation of future educational activities or support groups for the minority groups of patients with cancer and their spouses, as well as continuous education (CME) series for multidisciplinary teams of healthcare providers (e.g., oncology physicians, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, and other medical providers).
For instance, creating clear and concise patient booklets/brochures, which will provide culturally appropriate information (e.g., based on the main themes/potential solutions identified in this study: 1) accepting illness through coping strategies provided by religious beliefs and practices (not only from the Muslim, but also from the ecumenical/universal perspective), 2) experiencing problems with the expression of needs and feelings within the couple, and the concrete tips how to improve communication/behavior within the family, 3) experiencing closeness within the family with a focus on hope, gratitude, acceptance, or similar positive emotions, and 4) experiencing illness in the hospital setting as minority groups, highlighting the need for respect, dignity, autonomy, and privacy would be useful.
Addressing these areas could increase the patient’s adherence to medical care, improve response/resilience to stress, and augment the quality of life during each stage of the ‘cancer journey’ for the afflicted patients and their close relatives.
Author Response
In the Abstract and the main text, the phrase: ‘cancer patients’ should be replaced by: ‘patients with cancer’.
Response 1 : it has been addressed
In the Discussion, p # 9, please, remove the redundant part: ’suggest that cancer’.
Response 2 :it has been addressed
Perhaps, in the Discussion, the Authors may emphasize the need for the preparation of future educational activities or support groups for the minority groups of patients with cancer and their spouses, as well as continuous education (CME) series for multidisciplinary teams of healthcare providers (e.g., oncology physicians, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, and other medical providers).
For instance, creating clear and concise patient booklets/brochures, which will provide culturally appropriate information (e.g., based on the main themes/potential solutions identified in this study: 1) accepting illness through coping strategies provided by religious beliefs and practices (not only from the Muslim, but also from the ecumenical/universal perspective), 2) experiencing problems with the expression of needs and feelings within the couple, and the concrete tips how to improve communication/behavior within the family, 3) experiencing closeness within the family with a focus on hope, gratitude, acceptance, or similar positive emotions, and 4) experiencing illness in the hospital setting as minority groups, highlighting the need for respect, dignity, autonomy, and privacy would be useful.
Addressing these areas could increase the patient’s adherence to medical care, improve response/resilience to stress, and augment the quality of life during each stage of the ‘cancer journey’ for the afflicted patients and their close relatives.
Response 3 : This was added at the end of the discussion.
