Religious activities of inpatients and their family visitors in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose was to investigate the contributing factors of practicing religious activities (prayer and attending religious services) that help in overcoming the health problems that had led to the current hospitalization. These activities may be a proxy measure for religious coping with health problems.


METHODS
An exploratory survey study was used.


METHODS
A convenience sample was determined. Data were collected in 2005 in the inpatient wards of a Taiwanese hospital (n = 1,031 patients and family visitors). Binary logistic regression analyses were used.


RESULTS
Of the participants, 75% offered prayer to their god(s) for help and 57.4% attended a church/temple service. Being a patient and having a longer hospital stay contributed to the increased probability of offering prayer and attending religious services.


CONCLUSIONS
Prayer and religious service attendance were practiced by the majority of those hospitalized patients and their family. Enriching our understanding of the religious needs of the patients and their family should be continued.
Tzeng
Huey-Ming
HM
School of Nursing, Division of Nursing Business and Health Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5482, USA. tzeng_hueyming@yahoo.com
Yin
Chang-Yi
CY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008602:Mental Healing / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D029181:Spirituality; D013624:Taiwan