Spirituality & Health

1. Spirituality & Health Metrics and Mystery

2. “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up…” James 5:15 “Can I pray for you?” Dr. Caleb Liem

3. Moses “…when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.” Numbers 21:6-9 (NASB)

4. Jesus The blind receive sight, lame walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf hear, dead are raised, poor hear the gospel. Luke 7:22

5. World Without End “Take them to the cathedral!”

6. The Church & Health Middle Ages • Church issued medical licenses • Physicians were monks and priests • Nuns were nurses • Religious orders built & staffed first hospitals

8. Wagon Trains West Compassion & Beneficence

9. How We Got Started… “Pure air, Sunlight, Abstemiousness, Rest, Exercise, Proper Diet, The use of Water, Trust in Divine Power--- These are the true remedies.” Ellen White, Ministry of Healing

10. Western Health Reform Institute

13. Newsweek Poll • 84% of Americans believe that praying to God can cure someone • 72% of Americans would welcome a conversation with their physician about faith

15. What is Spirituality? • “belief in a greater power” • “sense of interconnectedness” • “inner peace” • “touching ultimate worth” • “eternal hills & unresting sea” • “unique for each individual”

16. What is Religion? • A system of beliefs and practices of those within a community, with rituals designed to acknowledge, worship, communicate with, and come closer to the Sacred, Divine or ultimate Truth or Reality (i.e., God) • Usually has a set of scriptures or teachings that describe the meaning and purpose of the world, the individual’s place in it, and the responsibilities of individuals to one another • Usually has a moral code of conduct that is agreed upon by members of the community, who attempted to adhere to that code • Religion is a unique construct or domain – separate from psychology that can be measured and quantified and examined in its relationship to health outcomes.

17. Spirituality Religion Individual Community Objective Subjective Organized Informal Observable Interior Definitive Eclectic Distinctive Unifying

18. Research • On average • Across a population • All other things being equal

25. Religion and Mental Health Research Summary • Purpose and meaning in life (15/16) • Well-being, hope, and optimism (91/114) • Social support (19/20) • Marital satisfaction and stability (35/38) • Depression and its recovery (60/93) • Suicide (57/68) • Anxiety and fear (35/69) • Substance abuse (98/120) • Delinquency (28/36) • Summary: 478/724 quantitative studies • (based on conducted in the year 2000 or before) • Handbook of Religion and Health (Oxford University Press, 2001)

29. Predicting Cancer Mortality Mortality data from Alameda County, California, 1974-1987 3 Lifestyle practices: smoking; exercise; 7-8 hours of sleep n=2290 all white All Attend Attend Church WeeklyWeekly+3 Practices SMR for all cancer mortality 89 52 13 SMR = Standardized Mortality Ratio (compared to 100 in US population) Enstrom (1989). Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 81:1807-1814.

30. Seven Healthy Practices • Adequate sleep • Eating breakfast • Not eating between meals • Ideal weight • Never smoking • Avoiding alcohol • Physical activity

31. Religion and Physical Health Research Summary • Better immune/endocrine function (5 of 5) • Lower mortality from cancer (5 of 7) • Lower blood pressure (14 of 23) • Less heart disease (7 of 11) • Less stroke (1 of 1) • Lower cholesterol (3 of 3) • Less cigarette smoking (23 of 25) • More likely to exercise (3 of 5) • Lower mortality (11 of 14) (1995-2000) • Clergy mortality (12 of 13) • (summary of research in year 2000 or before) • Many new studies since 2000 Handbook of Religion and Health (Oxford University Press, 2001)

32. Attention Received Over the Years Religion, Spirituality and Health • Growing interest – entire or partial journal issues on topic • (J Personality, J Family Psychotherapy, American Behavioral Scientist, Public Policy and Aging Report, Psychiatric Annals, American J of Psychotherapy [partial], Psycho-Oncology, • International Review of Psychiatry, Death Studies, Twin Studies, J of Managerial Psychology, • J of Adult Development, J of Family Psychology, Advanced Development, Counseling & Values, J of Marital & Family Therapy, J of Individual Psychology, American Psychologist, • Mind/Body Medicine, Journal of Social Issues, J of Health Psychology, Health Education & • Behavior, J Contemporary Criminal Justice, Journal of Family Practice, Southern Med J ) • Growing amount of research-related articles on topic • PsycInfo 2001-2005 = 5187 articles (2757 spirituality, 3170 religion) [11198 psychotherapy] 46% • PsycInfo 1996-2000 = 3512 articles (1711 spirituality, 2204 religion) [10438 psychotherapy] 34% • PsycInfo 1991-1995 = 2236 articles ( 807 spirituality, 1564 religion) [9284 psychotherapy] 24% • PsycInfo 1981-1985 = 936 articles ( 71 spirituality, 880 religion) [5233 psychotherapy] 18% • PsycInfo 1971-1975 = 776 articles ( 9 spirituality, 770 religion) [3197 psychotherapy] 24%

33. Seven Principles • Religious affiliation • Religious fellowship • Worship and Prayer • Religious beliefs • Faith • Mystical experiences • Prayer for others

35. Religion is associated with lower rates of disease and death. • Does research support it? Yes • Does it work for everyone? No • Are there exceptions? Yes • Is religion always healthful? No • Controversial? Yes

36. Science and Faith “If there is a God that influences our health in ways that transcend all possible natural forces, no study can ever prove or disprove that fact. The best that we can do in relation to such works of grace is either to accept them on faith or reject their possibility.” Levin, Jeff PhD. God, Faith and Health: Exploring the Spirituality-Healing Connection. John Wiley & Sons, 2001, pg 184.

37. “If we ask anything according to his will, He hears us.” I John 5:14 “I have never seen laryngeal edema clear so rapidly.” Dr. John Hodgkin