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


METHODS
Two hundred three family practice adult inpatients at two hospitals were interviewed regarding their views on the relationship between religion and health.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
King
D E
DE
Department of Family Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina 27858-4354.
Bushwick
B
B
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D001290:Attitude; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008602:Mental Healing; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D010327:Pastoral Care; D010414:Pennsylvania; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology