The therapeutic potential of poetry as a health intervention in the context of palliative care: an integrative review.

OBJECTIVE

To synthesize and analyze the available evidence on the therapeutic potential of poetry as a health intervention in the context of palliative care.

METHODS

Integrative review. The searches were conducted in Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library, in addition to consulting the gray literature. Study selection and data extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. Data analysis included qualitative synthesis supported by GPT-4 for data reduction and thematic identification, followed by human refinement.

RESULTS

Twelve studies published between 1996 and 2024 were included. The analysis identified three thematic axes regarding the therapeutic role of poetry: 1) Emotional expression and processing, facilitating the articulation of complex feelings and reducing psychological distress; 2) Facilitation of communication and interpersonal bonding, improving connections between patients, families, and healthcare teams; and 3) Reframing the experience of illness and finitude, helping patients to find meaning and reconstruct their personal narratives. The studies reported benefits in emotional resilience, hope, quality of life, and symptom management. It is worth noting that the included studies focused almost exclusively on patients, with little to no evidence involving caregivers or healthcare providers.

CONCLUSION

Poetry has shown to be a promising and humanizing intervention in palliative care, supporting holistic care by addressing emotional, communicative, and existential dimensions. Future research should explore the impact of poetry on healthcare professionals and family caregivers and develop more robust studies to consolidate its integration into clinical practice.