Abstract
The empirical literature from epidemiological and clinical studies regarding the relationship between religious factors (eg, frequency of religious attendance, private religious involvement, and relying on one's religious beliefs as a source of strength and coping) and physical and mental health status in the areas of prevention, coping, and recovery was reviewed. Empirical studies from the published literature that contained at least 1 measure of subjects' religious commitment and at least 1 measure of their physical or mental health status were used. In particular, studies that examined the role of religious commitment or religious involvement in the prevention of illness, coping with illnesses that have already arisen, and recovery from illness were highlighted. A large proportion of published empirical data suggest that religious commitment may play a beneficial role in preventing mental and physical illness, improving how people cope with mental and physical illness, and facilitating recovery from illness. However, much still remains to be investigated with improved studies that are specially designed to investigate the connection between religious involvement and health status. Nevertheless, the available data suggest that practitioners who make several small changes in how patients' religious commitments are broached in clinical practice may enhance health care outcomes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 118-124 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Archives of Family Medicine |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - Mar 1 1998 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Religious commitment and health status : a review of the research and implications for family medicine. / Matthews, D. A.; McCullough, Michael; Larson, D. B.; Koenig, H. G.; Swyers, J. P.; Milano, M. G.
In: Archives of Family Medicine, Vol. 7, No. 2, 01.03.1998, p. 118-124.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Religious commitment and health status
T2 - a review of the research and implications for family medicine.
AU - Matthews, D. A.
AU - McCullough, Michael
AU - Larson, D. B.
AU - Koenig, H. G.
AU - Swyers, J. P.
AU - Milano, M. G.
PY - 1998/3/1
Y1 - 1998/3/1
N2 - The empirical literature from epidemiological and clinical studies regarding the relationship between religious factors (eg, frequency of religious attendance, private religious involvement, and relying on one's religious beliefs as a source of strength and coping) and physical and mental health status in the areas of prevention, coping, and recovery was reviewed. Empirical studies from the published literature that contained at least 1 measure of subjects' religious commitment and at least 1 measure of their physical or mental health status were used. In particular, studies that examined the role of religious commitment or religious involvement in the prevention of illness, coping with illnesses that have already arisen, and recovery from illness were highlighted. A large proportion of published empirical data suggest that religious commitment may play a beneficial role in preventing mental and physical illness, improving how people cope with mental and physical illness, and facilitating recovery from illness. However, much still remains to be investigated with improved studies that are specially designed to investigate the connection between religious involvement and health status. Nevertheless, the available data suggest that practitioners who make several small changes in how patients' religious commitments are broached in clinical practice may enhance health care outcomes.
AB - The empirical literature from epidemiological and clinical studies regarding the relationship between religious factors (eg, frequency of religious attendance, private religious involvement, and relying on one's religious beliefs as a source of strength and coping) and physical and mental health status in the areas of prevention, coping, and recovery was reviewed. Empirical studies from the published literature that contained at least 1 measure of subjects' religious commitment and at least 1 measure of their physical or mental health status were used. In particular, studies that examined the role of religious commitment or religious involvement in the prevention of illness, coping with illnesses that have already arisen, and recovery from illness were highlighted. A large proportion of published empirical data suggest that religious commitment may play a beneficial role in preventing mental and physical illness, improving how people cope with mental and physical illness, and facilitating recovery from illness. However, much still remains to be investigated with improved studies that are specially designed to investigate the connection between religious involvement and health status. Nevertheless, the available data suggest that practitioners who make several small changes in how patients' religious commitments are broached in clinical practice may enhance health care outcomes.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0032010905&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 9519914
AN - SCOPUS:0032010905
VL - 7
SP - 118
EP - 124
JO - Archives of Family Medicine
JF - Archives of Family Medicine
SN - 1063-3987
IS - 2
ER -