Clinical articleReviewDoes Religious Activity Improve Health Outcomes? A Critical Review of the Recent Literature
Section snippets
Methods
We conducted a MEDLINE search to find studies reporting the effect of religion on health outcomes. We used the medical subject headings (MeSH) religion; religion AND medicine; religion OR intercessory prayer; prayer; prayer therapy; religious rites; faith; medicine, traditional; religiosity; religion AND psychology; and religion AND health. Our search was limited to manuscripts published in the English language between January 1999 and June 2003. Our prior report described the data published
Randomized Controlled Trials
We found five RCTs that fit our search criteria. Cha et al assessed the effect of prayer on the success of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).16 In this prospective double-blind study, 219 women in Korea were randomized to receive distant Christian IP or no IP. Subjects randomized to the IP group received both direct IP (prayer for a particular outcome) and nonspecific prayer (for the fulfillment of God’s will) from intercessors in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The
Conclusions
Religious activity appears to improve physical and mental health. Although we do not know with certainty the mechanisms by which religious interventions affect health, several promising hypotheses have been raised.33, 34, 35, 36 Some researchers suggest a possible mechanism via psychoneuroendocrinology, eg, diminished stress-hormone secretion. Better health outcomes in religious individuals may be moderated by a large social network, healthier lifestyle, activities supported by the church, or
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