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Religion appears to promote health and
therefore physicians
should consider attending to their patients' spiritual beliefs.
According to Dr. Mark Su from Tufts University
in Boston, Massachusetts, 94%
of the American public believes in a God or a "higher
power," and most claim that religion is "fairly"
or "very" important in their lives.
However, American physicians tend to
be less likely than their patients to believe in God -- only
64% compared to 91%, one survey found.
"Patients are more likely to desire
spiritual issues to be discussed in their healthcare than
are physicians to actually address them," Su notes. According
to one survey, a large number of patients wanted their physician
to pray with them, Su points out.
Su reviewed the literature on religion
and health, restricting the review to studies pertaining to
the Judeo-Christian religion, "due to the large number
of studies available within this sect compared to other religions,
as well as the relevant pertinence that it has among the majority
of US citizens."
According to Su, of the 212 studies examining
the effects of religious commitment on healthcare outcomes,
75% showed a positive benefit,
17% had mixed or no effect, and 7% showed a negative effect.
Positive effects of religion were found
in most or all studies of drug use, adjustment or coping,
depression, alcohol abuse, marital adjustment, life satisfaction,
anxiety and extramarital or premarital sexual activity.
"I can't speculate whether health
is promoted by the religion itself or the healthy behaviors
that religious people are often encouraged to practice,"
Su explained.
"Some researchers think that people
who are more religious are taught not to drink or smoke, but
others believe the health benefits are due to feelings of
peace and a sense of purpose, confidence and identity that
religion can promote," he added.
Su also pointed out that addressing patients'
spiritual beliefs can strengthen the doctor-patient relationship.
"Most doctors are concerned that
they are crossing boundaries if they bring up spiritual beliefs,"
he said. "But I treat it in the same way as discussing
their use of alcohol or tobacco. I just take it as part of
being interested in what is going on with their lives.
"Doctors
should deal with their patients on a case-by-case basis,"
Su added. "The bottom line is patient sensitivity --
the literature does not justify proselytizing.
"If a patient isn't interested in
discussing it, then I don't push them about it," he said.
"But I think it's reasonable for patients to mention
that they have certain religious or spiritual beliefs."
Annual
Scientific Assembly of the American Academy of Family Physicians
Atlanta, GA October 2, 2001
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