Is It Time to More Fully Address Teaching Religion and Spirituality in Medicine?

Collier, Kristin; James, Cornelius A.; Saint, Sanjay; Howell, Joel D.

doi:10.7326/m20-0446

Cited by 12 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Unlike other aspects of diversity, one’s religion—and depth of religious commitment—may not be immediately visible to the casual observer. As supervising physicians, do we make it explicit that we realize how important faith is, not only for many of our patients, 13 but also for many of our colleagues and trainees? Do we recognize the bias that may exist against people with religious traditions of all types?…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Spirituality and Religion in Physician and Trainee Wellness

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Burnout in medicine is a substantial problem with adverse consequences for both physicians and the patients who they treat. In our efforts to combat burnout, we must consider every tool at our disposal, since a complex problem requires a multifaceted approach. Recognizing that many physicians derive meaning from spirituality and religion, attempts to improve physician and trainee wellness should acknowledge the importance of religion and spirituality for self-care more than has heretofore been the case.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Spirituality and Religion in Physician and Trainee Wellness

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…To alleviate healthcare workers’ concerns and provide the care patients desire, mentoring and training programs designed to enhance healthcare workers’ skills and comfort in discussing religion and spirituality are needed. 22 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Sacred Moments in Hospitalized Patients: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

et al. 2023

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background “Sacred moments” are brief periods of time in which people experience a deep interconnectedness that may possess spiritual qualities and emotions. This concept has been shown to have a positive impact on individuals’ overall well-being and stress in mental health settings. The concept of sacred moments has not been studied in acute care hospital settings. Objective To better understand the occurrence of sacred moments among hospitalized patients and their healthcare workers. Design An exploratory qualitative study that included in-depth interviews with patients and healthcare workers at two academic medical centers in the Midwestern United States. Participants Hospital healthcare workers (e.g., physicians, nurses, ancillary staff) and discharged patients with a recent hospital stay. Approach Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 30 participants between August 2020 and April 2021. Interviews were recorded and transcribed before conducting thematic analysis. Key Results Both healthcare workers and patients reported having experienced at least one sacred moment. Interview findings were organized into three main domains including (1) several common elements described by participants as marking these moments; (2) benefits experienced by both patients and healthcare workers; and (3) suggestions for fostering sacred moments within the hospital setting. Conclusions Among our participants, sacred moments were extremely common with the vast majority reporting to have experienced at least one in their lifetime. These moments were described as profound and important and shared many common elements. Our findings can be used to help recognize, understand, and promote sacred moments between hospitalized patients and healthcare workers.

show abstract

“…It is a myth that religion should be considered a taboo subject when taking the medical history of a patient. Sexual health was at one time under this classification, but no longer (Collier et al, 2020). Personal religious beliefs are vital knowledge, as the patient in Case 1 described human beings as "created for fellowship" with God and with one another.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, congregating in any number adds to the risk of infection (Levin, 2009 ). As over 80% of the US population believe in God or a “higher power” (Collier et al, 2020 ), it is easy to see how pervasive religious beliefs can affect the health of many.…”

Section: Potential Harms Of Religion In a Pandemicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religion in the US during the time of a Pandemic: A Medical Perspective

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Approximately 80% of Americans identify as religious. As physicians caring for patients with COVID-19, we have seen both positive and negative effects of religious activity during the pandemic. Religious worship generally supports close social interaction, which provides many benefits, especially in mental health, but it can also contradict infection control measures. These forces do not necessarily have to be in opposition to each other. Herein, we present three case vignettes of religious patients who were infected with and recovered from COVID-19. We review the potential benefits and risks of religious activity in the current pandemic, as supported by the medical literature. Finally, we offer some thoughts on how to engage with patients so that the benefits of both religious activity and public health measures are optimized.

show abstract

Is It Time to More Fully Address Teaching Religion and Spirituality in Medicine?

Cited by 12 publications

References 4 publications

The Role of Spirituality and Religion in Physician and Trainee Wellness

The Role of Spirituality and Religion in Physician and Trainee Wellness

Exploring Sacred Moments in Hospitalized Patients: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Religion in the US during the time of a Pandemic: A Medical Perspective

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About