title: The influence of religiosity on health.
abstract: The relationship between religion and health has been a subject of interest in the past and in the latest years becoming increasingly visible in the social, behavioral, and health sciences. Among several approaches to be considered, the present work provides a briefly discuss concerning the bond between health and religiosity in the cure process and diseases treatment. Several investigations show that religious participation is related with better outcomes for persons who are recovering from physical and mental illness, also the psychology science have committed special issues to positive correlations between religious belief and practice, mental and physical health and longevity. On the other hand, religion may also be associated with negative outcomes and the inappropriate use of health services as fanaticism, asceticism, mortifications and oppressive traditionalism. The potential for both positive and negative effects of spirituality on health, combined with the high levels of engagement with spirituality suggests that this area is ripe for future sustained research. Independent of the possible mechanisms, if individuals receive health profits by the religion; those should be motivated, respecting the individual faith of each one.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande, PB, 58109-753, Brazil. romulo_nobrega@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Rômulo Romeu da Nóbrega
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Humberto da Nóbrega
authors.initials: Hda N
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Raynner Rilke Duarte
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Barboza
authors.forename: Wedson de Medeiros Silva
authors.initials: Wde M
authors.lastname: Souto
mesh_terms: D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D012067:Religion; D029181:Spirituality