title: Prayer and spirituality.
abstract: Many patients with arthritis are strongly influenced by religious beliefs and often participate in religious healing activities such as prayer and worship attendance. Scientific studies demonstrate, and most patients confirm, that faith and involvement in religious healing activities can be helpful in preventing and treating illness, recovering from surgery, reducing pain, and improving quality of life. To improve the care of patients, clinicians should develop a patient-centered, spiritually sensitive form of medical practice in which religious issues are addressed gently and appropriately with dignity, respect, and integrity.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. drdalematt@aol.com
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008602:Mental Healing; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D059408:Pain Management; D010327:Pastoral Care; D011788:Quality of Life