Elsevier

EXPLORE

Volume 1, Issue 3, May 2005, Pages 186-191
EXPLORE

Clinical article
Review
Does Religious Activity Improve Health Outcomes? A Critical Review of the Recent Literature

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2005.02.001Get rights and content

Objective

Many Americans use religious activity to cope with stressful life events. Our goal was to review systematically the recent medical literature to assess the role of religion in health outcomes.

Data Sources

We conducted a comprehensive literature search using MEDLINE to identify studies published in the English language between January 1999 and June 2003 describing the effect of religion on health outcomes. The search strategy used the medical subject headings (MeSH) of religion; religion AND medicine; religion OR intercessory prayer; prayer; prayer therapy; religious rites; faith; medicine, traditional; religiosity; religion AND psychology; and religion AND health.

Study Selection

Religious, but not spiritual, interventions were selected for inclusion. Thus, papers describing interventions such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and qigong were excluded. Manuscripts describing randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, and partnerships with faith-based organizations were included.

Data Extraction

We found five randomized controlled trials, four clinical trials, and seven faith-based partnerships that describe the impact of religious intervention on health outcomes. Papers were analyzed by four reviewers using a modified Delphi technique to reach consensus.

Data Synthesis

Religious intervention such as intercessory prayer may improve success rates of in vitro fertilization, decrease length of hospital stay and duration of fever in septic patients, increase immune function, improve rheumatoid arthritis, and reduce anxiety. Frequent attendance at religious services likely improves health behaviors. Moreover, prayer may decrease adverse outcomes in patients with cardiac disease.

Conclusions

Religious activity may improve health outcomes.

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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