The current status of “spirituality and health” teaching in Brazilian medical schools: a nationwide survey

Abstract

Background Recent data on the teaching of “spirituality and health” (S/H) in medical schools are needed. In this study, we aimed to investigate the current status of S/H teaching in Brazilian medical schools, the opinions of medical directors/deans on this topic and the factors associated with its incorporation into the curriculum. Methods A nationwide cross-sectional survey was carried out in 2021. Information concerning the S/H content in the curricula of medical schools was obtained through medical school representatives and other sources. Medical school representatives were asked about their opinions of and barriers to S/H teaching. Regression models were used to evaluate the factors associated with the incorporation of such content into the curriculum. Results Information on the incorporation of S/H content in medical curricula was retrieved from different sources for all 342 (100%) Brazilian medical schools. Among the representatives, 150 (43.9%) completed the online form. An increase in the S/H content in Brazilian medical schools was observed (from 40% to 2011 to 65.5% in 2021). Most medical school representatives agreed that this issue is important in medical training and that more space in the curriculum is needed. However, they also observed several barriers, such as a lack of knowledge of medical teachers/faculty, a lack of time, and the topic not being included in teaching plans. The most important factors that influenced the incorporation of S/H teaching in medical schools and representatives’ opinions were a lack of time and knowledge, professor preparedness and standardized national competency requirements. Conclusion These results could help medical educators rethink the incorporation of S/H content into their curricula.

Espiritualidade e religiosidade: desafios e possibilidades para prática médica

“…Segundo Carmo (2022), para despertar no profissional médico o interesse de tal temática, o primeiro passo é transformar o entendimento acerca da importância do cuidado espiritual para com os pacientes. Essa relação tornou-se então objeto de interesse para diversos grupos não só de profissionais e pesquisadores como também na formação de acadêmicos, motivo pelo qual o estudo da E/R em saúde foi incluído como conteúdo curricular de muitas universidades, inclusive brasileiras, movimento que tem se expandido, apesar de ainda não ser homogêneo em todo o mundo ( de Aguiar, et al, 2016;Fleenor, et al, 2022;Lucchetti, et al, 2023;Puchalski, et al, 2020).…”