Beliefs and attitudes of hospital inpatients about faith healing and prayer.

TLDR

Physicians rarely ask patients about religious beliefs, a practice that may conflict with patient wishes and harm care. The study investigates whether patients desire physicians to discuss religious beliefs with them. A survey of 203 adult inpatients at two hospitals assessed their views on religion and health, revealing many positive attitudes toward physician involvement in spiritual issues. Seventy‑seven percent of patients said physicians should consider their spiritual needs, 37% wanted more discussion of religious beliefs, 48% wanted physicians to pray with them, yet 68% reported never having such discussions, supporting the hypothesis that physicians rarely address these issues.

Abstract

Physicians rarely question patients about their religious beliefs. This lack of inquiry may be contrary to patients' wishes and detrimental to patient care. This study examines whether patients want physicians to discuss religious beliefs with them.Two hundred three family practice adult inpatients at two hospitals were interviewed regarding their views on the relationship between religion and health.Many patients expressed positive attitudes toward physician involvement in spiritual issues. Seventy-seven percent said physicians should consider patients' spiritual needs, 37% wanted their physicians to discuss religious beliefs with them more frequently, and 48% wanted their physicians to pray with them. However, 68% said their physician had never discussed religious beliefs with them.This study supports the hypothesis that although many patients desire more frequent and more in-depth discussions about religious issues with their physicians, physicians generally do not discuss these issues with their patients.