What a wonderful way to frame this, spiritual seeking as social support! (I
assume you are alluding to two possibilities: support through the
congregation, as well as feeling some relationship/support from a "Higher
Power.")

I do a lot of work with caregivers of folks who have dementia, as well as
folks with terminal illnesses. Caregivers are at great risk for depression
and other physical health problems. FWIW: One study (I believe by the
Rosalyn Carter Institute) revealed that 74% of caregivers rely upon prayer
as their primary coping strategy!

On another, more pragmatic note, from the patient's point of view, I know
that there comes a time when the patient's condition precludes being able
to go to church, so I wonder if that doesn't confound the results (i.e.,
people who are not going to church seem to be having worse dementia or
dying "sooner"--?--is not because they do not attend but because
progression of their condition is making it impossible to go). Just a
research point from someone in the field. In general, though, my experience
working with caregivers and patients is that spiritual support is extremely
beneficial.

Natasha Beauchamp



>would like to point out a few things. Religious beliefs may in fact be
>helpful for health promotion practices. As scientists We have a tendency to
>consider  religious myths as irrelevant or counterproductive. One thing we
>do not think about is the fact that people who have faith go to God, saints
>or other religious symbols for guidance and help. I feel that this is
>nothing more than seeking social support. As health educators, we should
>learn about these "relationships" and try to incorporate them in our
>interventions. The beliefs of the middle ages are far from being a thing of
>the past. Yet, I believe that by being thoughtful, tactful and creative, we
>can use some of these beliefs to help people and that exploring their
>beliefs can indeed allow us to better frame our health messages.
>
>Nader Nassif
>Doctoral Candidate
>The University of Alabama at Birmingham
>Birmingham AL USA
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Dennis Raphael" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 11:18 AM
>Subject: Re: God is good medicine
>
>
>> great!  I saw that story too.  Just like in the middle ages, deal with the
>> difficulties in your present life by looking to the new one coming!
>>
>> God is obviously  a supporter of the status quo.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Susan Himel <[log in to unmask]>@YorkU.CA> on 04/05/2002 11:17:29 AM
>>
>> Please respond to Health Promotion on the Internet <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>   Sent         Health Promotion on the Internet
>>   by:          <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>   To:          [log in to unmask]
>>
>>   cc:          (bcc: Dennis Raphael/Atkinson)
>>
>>
>>
>>   Subject      God is good medicine
>>   :
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> another interesting twist on the social determinants/lifestyle debate ...
>the
>> article is too long for click4hp, so if you want to read it in it's
>entirety,
>> goto www.globeandmail.com and search for the article.
>>
>> God is good medicine
>> Want to live a longer, healthier life? The answer may be in your place of
>> worship, researchers are finding
>> RON CSILLAG, Special to The Globe and Mail, Tuesday, April  2, 2002
>>
>>
>> TORONTO --  Health-club membership: check. Ginkgo-and-kelp caplets: check.
>> Cigarettes, down; veggies, up: check. Religion: che. . . what?
>>
>> Yes, health nuts and slugabeds alike, it's time to acknowledge something
>you
>> may have heard in Sunday school or while perched on Grandma's knee: Like
>> spinach, God is good for you.
>>
>> Medical science, especially in the West, may still turn up its nose at the
>mix
>> of health and spirituality, but it's slowing coming around. At least 80 of
>125
>> medical schools in the United States offer courses in religion and
>medicine. In
>> Canada, the Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care is
>> calling for papers for a big conference in October at the University of
>Toronto
>> on Spirituality and Health Care.
>>
>> The research -- scads of it -- continues to confirm more or less the same
>> thing: People who follow a religious/spiritual path are more likely to
>enjoy
>> greater longevity and superior overall health than those who do not. And
>> prayer, meditation and other mind-body approaches, whether from the
>Eastern or
>> Western religious models, appear to be beneficial to the healing process.
>>
>> That's not to suggest that atheists, agnostics and secular humanists will
>keel
>> over tomorrow from heart attacks, or that the faithful are immune from
>> alcoholism or obesity. While not all of us do such a great job of
>following the
>> dictates of our religions and may enjoy good health anyway, the link
>between
>> spiritual engagement and healthy behaviour is, finally, as close to
>undeniable
>> as it has ever been.
>>
>> ___
>>
>> At last count, more than 1,200 studies and 400 reviews, from Canada,
>Europe and
>> the United States, show that:
>>  Those who regularly attend a house of worship have demonstrably lower
>rates of
>> illness and death than do infrequent or non-attenders.
>>  For each of the three leading causes of death in North America -- heart
>> disease, cancer and hypertension -- people who report a religious
>affiliation
>> have lower rates of illness and higher rates of recovery.
>>  Older adults who participate in private and congregational worship
>exhibit
>> fewer symptoms, less disability and lower rates of depression, chronic
>anxiety,
>> and dementia than those who do not.
>>  Actively religious people live longer, on average, than the non-religious
>(up
>> to seven years longer, say some studies). This holds true even when
>controlling
>> for the fact that religious people tend to avoid health risks such as
>smoking,
>> drinking and promiscuity.
>>  Among African-Americans, religious participation has been found to be the
>> single strongest determinant of psychological well-being -- more so than
>> physical health or financial status.
>>  Meditation and prayer have been found to improve patients' overall
>well-being.
>> As your doctor might say, they can't hurt.
>>
>> The newest study, in this week's International Journal of Psychiatry in
>> Medicine, found that that people who didn't attend services regularly were
>> twice as likely to die of noncancerous digestive diseases, 21 per cent
>more
>> likely to die of cardiovascular disease, including heart and stroke, and
>66 oer
>> cent more likely to die to respiratory diseases, other than cancer.
>>
>> In all, the research points in one direction, at least as far as the
>> psychological benefits of religion go: High, even moderate, levels of
>religious
>> faith and/or spiritual awareness are associated with greater resilience to
>> stress, lower levels of anxiety, better coping skills, a greater sense of
>> belonging, and generally, a sunnier, more serene, take on life.
>> ____
>>
>> There are two groundbreaking books on the subject: The Handbook of
>Religion and
>> Health, a 712-page bruiser that sifts through the studies linking
>religious
>> practice with health, and the far more accessible God, Faith and Health by
>Dr.
>> Jeff Levin, North America's premier chronicler of the new field and among
>those
>> experts to note that followers of certain faith groups do better than
>others
>> when it comes to disease and death.
>> ______
>>
>> Copyright 2002 | Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc.
>>
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Natasha Beauchamp
Project Coordinator
ORegon Center for Applied Science, Inc. (ORCAS)
1839 Garden Ave.
Eugene, OR  97405

Tel: (541) 342-7227
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