Journal of Religion and Health

Felicilda-Reynaldo, Rhea Faye; Cruz, Jonas; Papathanasiou, Ionna; Helen Shaji, John; Kamau, Simon; Adams, Kathryn; Valdez, Glenn

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00771-4pmid: 30739265

There has been high interest in religious and spirituality practices among college students due to positive benefits to university life. However, no studies have been conducted examining nursing students’ religiosity and use of spiritual coping and its impact on their QOL. This cross-sectional, descriptive study measured the QOL and examined the predictive roles of religiosity and spiritual coping among nursing students from four countries. Nursing students reported high overall QOL and health. Significant differences were revealed on the religiosity and spiritual coping of students in terms of demographic characteristics. Findings show frequent attendance to organized and non-organized religious activities lead to better physical and environmental domains, and using non-organized religious activities frequently lead to improved psychological health. More frequent use of non-religious coping strategies was associated with better physical, psychological, and environmental health, and improved social relationships.

Diego Cordero, Rocío; Lucchetti, Giancarlo; Fernández-Vazquez, Ana; Badanta-Romero, Bárbara

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00780-3pmid: 30771142

This study aims to investigate the opinions, knowledge and attitudes concerning spirituality, religiosity and health among 75 health MSc graduates from a Spanish university. The questionnaire “Religion and Spirituality in Medicine, Perspectives of Physicians” was used. Most students had low levels of religious activities, agreeing that S/R could have a high influence on the health professional–patient relationship (62.6%). Nevertheless, they felt little prepared to address these issues (90.6%) and believed that universities were not providing enough information on this topic (91.9%). The most common barriers for addressing R/S were insufficient time (34.7%) and fear of offending the patients (31.9%). Nurse students tended to believe more on the influence of R/S on patients’ health and on the appropriateness of addressing R/S issues. However, religious beliefs were not associated with students’ R/S opinions. The incorporation of such topic could potentially promote the spiritual sensitivity of health professionals, improving the holistic care.

Nita, Maria

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00773-2pmid: 30806896

The article investigates discourses of ‘spirituality’ in the field of Health Studies, among scholarly voices and the voices of the practitioners and patients these studies reflect. It examines current trends in contemporary spirituality as well as links with debates involving science, religion and secularisation. The article argues that, in the public domain, ‘spirituality’ is beginning to denote a collective practice rather than an individual search for meaning. Furthermore, the article identifies some common understandings of spirituality in the context of Health Studies and health environments, such as it being a tool that can facilitate closeness and emotional exchanges. Finally, it proposes that the success and, as I will show, elevated status of ‘mindfulness’ in this field points to ‘competing spiritualities’, despite shared understandings.

Hong, Barry; Pollio, David; Pollio, E.; Sims, Omar; Pedrazine, Anthony; North, Carol

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00785-ypmid: 30825031

This study examined religious and spiritual aspects of disaster experience among 379 survivors of the 9/11 attacks on New York City’s World Trade Center. Interviews conducted 35 months after the disaster provided structured diagnostic assessments of psychiatric disorders and specific detail of demographic characteristics, experience of the disaster, and variables related to religion and spirituality. The study participants overwhelmingly identified with a specific religion. The disaster appeared to have only modest effects on strength and importance of religion/spirituality, and changes were predominantly positive. Specific religions and faith groups differed in their disaster experience in important ways.

Francis, Leslie; Emslie, Neville; Payne, V.

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00798-7pmid: 30924101

This study explores the effect of emotional intelligence (assessed by the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale) on work-related psychological health (assessed by the two scales of the Francis Burnout Inventory) among 364 Anglican clergy serving in the Church in Wales (264 clergymen, 93 clergywomen, and 7 who did not disclose their sex). After controlling for personal factors (sex and age) and for personality dimensions (extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism), the data suggested that higher levels of emotional intelligence enhanced work-related psychological health both in terms of lowering negative affect (emotional exhaustion in ministry) and in terms of increasing positive affect (satisfaction in ministry). These findings suggest that there may be benefits in professional development programmes designed to develop emotional intelligence among clergy.

Vitorino, Luciano; Low, Gail; Lucchetti, Giancarlo

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00796-9pmid: 30927202

In this cross-sectional Brazilian survey, we examined associations between aspects of physical environment (PE) and spiritual/religious coping (SRC) behaviors. Our studied sample was 77 nursing homes (NH) and 326 community-dwelling residents (CDRs). Aspects of the PE were measured using the environmental domain of the WHOQOL-BREF. SRC was assessed using the BRIEF SRC scale. The PE was significantly associated with positive SRC alone and differed between the two studied samples. “Feeling safe in daily life” and “having access to health services” were positively associated with positive SRC behaviors in NH residents. “Having access to information” and “adequate transport” were significant among CDRs. Positive SRC behaviors are influenced by PE and should be considered in geriatric and gerontology care.

Weaver, Addie; Himle, Joseph; Elliott, Mark; Hahn, Jessica; Bybee, Deborah

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00807-9pmid: 30953285

This study examines rural residents’ depressive symptoms, helps seeking preferences and perceptions of a church-based group depression intervention, informing feasibility of adapting evidence-based treatment for delivery in rural churches. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 100 members of 2 churches in a rural Midwestern community; 63 congregants responded. Depression was assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Descriptive analyses were performed, and 12.9% of respondents screened positive for depression. Another 25% reported mild symptomatology. Respondents preferred informal help seeking, although reported more openness to formal providers to address others’ depression. Results suggest receptivity to church-based treatment. Almost two-third of respondents reported they would consider attending a church-based group depression intervention, 80% would recommend it to a friend in need, and 60% indicated it would benefit their community. Delivering evidence-based depression treatment within church settings may provide a viable option for increasing access to care in this rural community.

Gabbay, Ezra; Fins, Joseph J.

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00874-ypmid: 31280412

Religious objections to brain death are common among Orthodox Jews. These objections often lead to conflicts between families of patients who are diagnosed with brain death, and physicians and hospitals. Israel, New York and New Jersey (among other jurisdictions) include accommodation clauses in their regulations or laws regarding the determination of death by brain-death criteria. The purpose of these clauses is to allow families an opportunity to oppose or even veto (in the case of Israel and New Jersey) determinations of brain death. In New York, the extent and duration of this accommodation period are generally left to the discretion of individual institutions. Jewish tradition has embraced cultural and psychological mechanisms to help families cope with death and loss through a structured process that includes quick separation from the physical body of the dead and a gradual transition through phases of mourning (Aninut,Kriah, timely burial, Shiva, Shloshim, first year of mourning). This process is meant to help achieve closure, acceptance, support for the bereaved, commemoration, faith in the afterlife and affirmation of life for the survivors. We argue that the open-ended period of contention of brain death under the reasonable accommodation laws may undermine the deep psychological wisdom that informs the Jewish tradition. By promoting dispute and conflict, the process of inevitable separation and acceptance is delayed and the comforting rituals of mourning are deferred at the expense of the bereft family. Solutions to this problem may include separating discussions of organ donation from those concerning the diagnosis of brain death per se, allowing a period of no escalation of life-sustaining interventions rather than unilateral withdrawal of mechanical ventilation, engagement of rabbinical leaders in individual cases and policy formulations that prioritize emotional support for families.

Chaudhary, Anila; Dosto, Niccolo; Hill, Rachel; Lehmijoki-Gardner, Maiju; Sharp, Phyllis; Daniel Hale, W.; Galiatsatos, Panagis

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00893-9pmid: 31414337

This study focused on a partnership with a mosque in Baltimore, MD, and its impact on the local Syrian refugee population through a peer-to-peer healthcare training program. We implemented the Lay Health Educator Program over a 6-week period in an effort to teach members of the mosque about healthcare-related topics that they could then disseminate to the Syrian refugee population that attends the mosque. Physicians and nurses instructed community members on health, healthcare resources, and healthcare information during 2-h long sessions once a week. A total of 18 community members took part in the program, and their participation highlighted that the most significant health issues for the Syrian refugees are “access to healthcare,” “mental health,” and insight into certain noncommunicable disease. Finally, the community program graduates implemented several health-related campaigns over 2 years in an effort to disseminate information taught to them. In doing so, they significantly impacted the ability of the refugees to assimilate to the US healthcare system.

Zahabi, Seyed

doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00812-ypmid: 31055687

This paper elucidates how Islamic philosophy is associated with health and illness. Avicenna (980–1037) as the most important physician and philosopher in the Islamic world has undoubtedly affected various fields of thought and science in Islamic civilization. The basis and infrastructure of his understanding of medicine derive from his philosophical and religious views. According to Avicenna, the soul and body are two intertwined substances from which all human beings are composed. This reciprocal interaction between soul and body is essential in analyzing his medical concepts related to “health” and “sickness.” Other than soul, he believes in spirit which is originally a religious concept that he interprets. Avicenna distinguishes between soul and spirit (≈ rūḥ) and poses that, as an ethereal volatile substance, the spirit is a mediator between soul and body. He also proposes a hierarchical system of spirit through which he illustrates a special type which is called “Rūḥ Bukhārī” (= RB). Faculties of the soul firstly penetrate into this type of spirit and then enter the body’s organs. Consequently, health and sickness are interpreted through the terms and conditions of RB.