title: Holocaust student tour: the impact on spirituality and health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  'March of the Living' is a 2-week excursion to Poland and Israel for high school students to learn and experience sites of Holocaust destruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study looked at the effect of their experience on spirituality and health. The sample consisted of 134 Jewish students, ages 16-19 years. Students were assessed initially (before MOTL=time 1) by completing a background survey (i.e., demographics, "Jewishness," and Holocaust related information), a World Health Organization, Quality of Life-Spirituality, Religion, and Personal beliefs field-test instrument, and the Child Somatization Inventory. Surveys were repeated end-Poland (time 2) and again (after MOTL=time 3) approximately 3-4 months after the trip.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most facets of spirituality significantly increased between time 1 and time 2, and varied from time 2 to time 3, while strength and hope remained elevated. Faith increased from time 1 to time 2 and was maintained at time 3. Fear of dying rose at time 2, decreasing significantly at time 3. A positive correlation between spirituality and "Jewishness" was found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. nager@chla.usc.edu
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Nager
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nager
authors.forename: Priya G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Lalani
authors.forename: Jeffrey I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D017767:Holocaust / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007585:Jews / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D012067:Religion; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D029181:Spirituality; D055815:Young Adult