AMERICA/UNITED STATES - One third of Americans are convinced that prayer improves health

Saturday, 8 September 2007

New York (Agenzia Fides) - The therapeutic potential of spirituality has always been a point of discussion. It emerged from the results of a recent survey published in ‘Archives of Internal Medicine’ magazine that one third of Americans turn to prayer as a source of good health
Specialists say the principal reason for which patients pray is for good health, as many as 75% pray as a ‘preventive measure’ to stay in good health and 22% pray because they are affected by some illness.
A recent panel discussion in Baltimore organised by the American Academy of Science, agreed that it can be scientifically proved that religious persons are more healthy than those who are less familiar with prayer.
Health conditions which appear to benefit most from regular church attendance include cancer, alcoholism, high blood pressure and heart conditions.
Experts are monitoring 4,000 elderly people to see if there exists a relation between religion and a person's state of health. The study has yet to be completed but experts at Duke University Medical Centre say information gleaned so far indicates that religion is related to people in better health and less depressed. Of course no scientist would go as far as to attribute medicinal properties to religion. However sociologists say that, apart from the placebo effect of prayer or church going on certain pathologies, religiously inclined people in general have habits which favour a healthier life. They have more friends, are more assiduous in health care, they adapt better to the stressing situations of life. They smoke and drink less and their life style is healthier. Prayer alone, some psychiatrists say, diminishes stress connected hormones, reducing high tension, anxiety, pain and sleeplessness. (AP) (8/9/2007 Agenzia Fides ; Righe:27; Parole:329)


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