Better Health

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>"Ashwini Kumar"

>Better Health >Sun, 28 Jul 2002 14:35:40 -0400 > > > >. Better

Health Outcomes for Patients with Doctors Who Support >Religious >Beliefs and

PracticesSource: Religion News Service >DURHAM, USA, July 24 2002: The Journal

of the American Medical >Association >published a major article illustrating

the potent effect health >professionals can have by addressing a patient's

spiritual needs. >The study >provides evidence that people with strong

religious beliefs and >practices >cope better with illness, are able to

decrease chronic pain >intensity, speed >recovery from depression and enjoy

better health outcomes. The study >demonstrates the effect of a patient's

spiritual beliefs on his >health and >the need for health professionals to

identify their patient's >spiritual >needs. A more controversial activity is

praying with patients. This >case >study suggests that when patients feel

overwhelmed by anxiety and >depression >because of their health situation,

their religious beliefs and >practices >provide them with an indirect form of

control that helps interrupt >these >feelings. Physicians should respect and

support the beliefs that >help their >patients cope, ensure that their

spiritual needs are met when they >are >hospitalized, and be aware that

religion is likely to influence >their >medical decisions. For physicians who

are interested in helping >their >patients cope spiritually with serious

medical illness, this study >points to >the potential far-reaching, positive

consequences of relationships >between >mental health, strong faith, devout

prayer and religious >socialization. The >study illustrates how health

professionals can support patients who >pray and >practice other religious

activities that are associated with better >coping, >less depression, more

social support and better health outcomes. > Join the world’s largest e-mail

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