title: Surgeons and the spirit: a study on the relationship of religiosity to clinical practice.
abstract: This study aimed to identify the religious practices and beliefs of surgeons and the relationship between surgeons' locus of control and religiosity. Thirty-five surgeons completed a survey that included items from the Duke University Religion Index, the Salesian Center Intrinsic Religiosity Scale for Clinicians, and Rotter's Locus of Control Scale. Over 68% of sampled surgeons affirmed that their religious beliefs play a part in their practice, 47% attend religious services at least weekly, and 44% pray daily. There was no correlation between locus of control and religiosity. These results challenge the myth of the egocentric, agnostic surgeon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing & Health, DeSales University, Center Valley, PA, USA. kerry.cheever@desales.edu
authors.forename: Kerry H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Cheever
authors.forename: Boyce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jubilan
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dailey
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ehrhardt
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blumenstein
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D005791:Patient Care; D010820:Physicians; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D029181:Spirituality