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Patients visiting an ophthalmologist report that prayer is important to their well-being and that God plays a positive role in illness, according to a report in the September issue of the JAMA Archives of Ophthalmology. The results of a survey reveal a growing effort among clinicians to encompass all areas of a patient, including their belief systems, for more comprehensive care.
The study: JAMA
Gina Magyar-Russell, Ph.D., of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, and colleagues distributed a brief questionnaire to 124 patients visiting the office of one ophthalmologist. The 14-question survey was completed by the patient and collected without any identifying information, to assure patients their answers would not affect their care.
The prevalence of positive religious and spiritual interpretations of God’s role in illness was higher than that of a negative role.
Of the participants:
- 76.6 percent were Christian, 5.6 percent Jewish and 3.2 percent agnostic
- 69.4 percent reported that prayer was very important to their sense of well-being and 12.9 percent that it was moderately important
- 45.2 percent attend religious services at least once per week
- 41.1 percent agreed that God permits illness but doesn’t cause it, and 54.8 percent believe God can influence a cure
- 58.1 percent report that God can directly help physicians treat illness
- 67.7 percent agree that God helps them be “at peace” with their illness
- Most believe either that illness is a way to make one stronger (32.3 percent) or that it is a mystery (36.3 percent) rather than a punishment from God (4 percent) or a test (22.6 percent)
“The data obtained from this questionnaire suggest that patients’ expressions of religion and spirituality should be assessed and acknowledged by their ophthalmologist,” the authors write. “Obtaining a brief religious and spiritual history, when it becomes a routine part of developing a relationship between the patient and the physician, may become more comfortable for the physician with time, add to an understanding of the patient’s value system, provide the patient with a greater sense of trust in the physician and assist in the healing process, especially when a cure is not possible.”
Other research: Evolution of spirituality’s role in healthcare
The Johns Hopkins survey demonstrates the prevalence and importance of religious and spiritual beliefs. Patients from this sample suggest, the report states, that like other medical populations, religion and spirituality are significant and often positive components of patient value systems.
Addressing the whole person and acknowledging religion and spirituality, the authors note, is one way for physicians to establish a relationship of respect, which promotes trust for making joint therapeutic decisions.
Patients’ value systems and their ability to cope with illness have long been ignored for the singular focus of fighting disease. But physicians and medical faculty are realizing that health and healing are not just about medicine and procedures. Ultimately, the clinical world is slowly embracing an approach that addresses not only the physical well-being of patients, but mental and spiritual as well, the whole person.
For the latest healthcare news and trends, stay tuned to Holli Haynie's national health column on Examiner.com.
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