06 January 2015

Religion and sickle cell pain

Title:Religiosity/spirituality and pain in patients with sickle cell disease.(Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (193))(Brief article).
Author(s):M.O. Harrison, C.L. Edwards and H.G. Koenig.
Source:Pain Digest 16.2 (March-April 2006): p106(1). (175 words)
Document Type:Magazine/Journal
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Full Text :COPYRIGHT 2006 Springer

Examination of the impact of three domains of religiosity/spirituality (church attendance, prayer/Bible study, intrinsic religiosity) on measures of pain in individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD). Research has demonstrated positive associations between religiosity/spirituality and better physical and mental health outcomes. However, few studies have examined the influence of religiosity/spirituality on the experience of pain in chronically ill patients. A consecutive sample of 50 SCD outpatients was studied. Church attendance was significantly associated with measures of pain. Attending church once or more per week was associated with the lowest scores on pain measures. These findings were maintained after controlling for age, gender, and disease severity. Prayer/Bible study and intrinsic religiosity were not significantly related to pain. Conclude that positive associations are consistent with recent literature, but the present results expose new aspects of the relationship for African American patients. Religious involvement likely plays a significant role in modulating the pain experience of African American patients with SCD.

(Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA) J Nerv Merit Dis 2005:193(4):250-257.

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