Does prayer or meditation improve a clients physical or mental health?

Does prayer or meditation improve a clients physical or mental health?An evidenced based research presentation.

By Mary DeWitt, Rick Loenser, Dawn Koolman and Terri Sand

Why is this important?Prayer promoting good health.

Nurses, as health professionals could play an important role by praying with or for, patients.

Evidence will support positive outcomes in patients physical conditions .

OverviewWhat is prayer?

PetitionaryIntercessoryAdorationRitual PrayerMeditative PrayerColloquoil prayer

What is Meditation?

Prayer and healing

Effects of PrayerCopingArrest the progression of illnessRemission or complete healing

Literature ReviewResearch article: Healing Through PrayerQualitative StudyApproachesSemi-structured interview 20 participantsWatsons Theoretical FrameworkParticipants from several denominations

Findings5 main cluster themesSubthemesSummary of participant responsesLearning obtained

Literature ReviewResearch article: Healing Through PrayerQualitative StudyLimitationsLimited participantsUnequal gender distributionLack of cultural diversityNarrowed scope of interview

CredibilityValidated experiences of healing through prayerParticipants experienced healingResearchers experienced life-altering inspirationPrayer enhances spiritual phenomenon and healing

Literature ReviewPrivate prayer as a suitable intervention for hospitalized patients: a critical review of the literatureApproachesLiterature based studySystematic approachKey wordsBroad data base for literature searchOriginal research

FindingsKey variablesPrivate prayer Frequency of prayerReligiosityDemographics

Literature ReviewPrivate prayer as a suitable intervention for hospitalized patients: a critical review of the literature

LimitationsLacks a defined Theoretical FrameworkNo controlled trialsLimited effectiveness of prayerEvidence reliant on methodological approachSample bias

CredibilityEvidence supports association between prayer and well-beingActive participation in prayer leads to better health Private prayer associated with decreased depression and anxiety

Conclusions and Implications for PracticePrayer is beneficial for health. Young & Koopsen (2011) state, Prayer can profoundly affect the healing process. Research demonstrates that religious practices such as worship attendance and prayer may contribute to physical and emotional health (p. 72). Research has demonstrated that regular prayer, scripture reading, or study provides health benefits (Matthews, 2000).

Conclusions and Implications for Practice (cont.)These might affect health evidence suggests that the strongest impact of religion and spirituality on health is its preventive effect in healthy people (Chida, Steptoe, & Powell, 2009; Powell, Shahabi, & Thoresen, 2003), but religion/spirituality had also been shown to be a coping resource in diseased patients (Powell et al.).Guthlin, Anton, Kruse, and Walach (2011) states, Our results support data that imply the existence of a psychophysical pathway in healing through spiritual rituals, and gave subjective insight into the perspective of patients (p. 328).

Conclusions and Implications for Practice (cont.)Research strongly supports the use of prayer as an alternative therapy for healing. Limitations are present but the benefits heavily outweigh the weaknesses. Prayer enhances spiritual phenomenon and healing

References

Chida, Y., Steptoe, A., & Powell, L. H. (2009). Religiosity/spirituality and mortality. A systematic quantitative review. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 78(2), 81-90. doi:10.1159/000190791

Gthlin, C., Anton, A., Kruse, J. and Walach, H. (2011). Subjective Concepts of Chronically Ill Patients Using Distant Healing. Qualitative Health Research, 22(3), 320331. DOI: 10.1177/1049732311421914

Matthews, D. S. (2000). Prayer and spirituality. Rheumatic Diseases of North American, 26(1), 177-187.

Powell, L. H., Shahabi, L., & Thoresen, C. E. (2003). Religion and spirituality: Linkages to physical health. American Psychologist, 58(1), 36-52. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.58.1.36

Taylor, E. J. (2002). Spiritual care. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. References (cont.)

Young, C., & Koopsen, C. (2011). Spirituality, Health, and Healing: An Integrative Approach (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Annotated BibliographyBlaszko Helming, M., (2011). Healing Through Prayer. Holistic Nursing Practice, 25(1), 33-44. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0b013e3181fe2697Mary Blaszko Helming, PhD, FNP, AHN-BC, Department of Nursing, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut.

This qualitative study approached the topic of healing through prayer amongst interviewed participants. The participants of the study were all affiliated with Christian churches of several denominations. The research focused on the participants experience with prayer and its influence on their personal medical conditions. Their outcomes are discussed and the aspects of prayer are applied to their degree of healing.The study recognizes biass of the interview population in terms of age, gender, demographics, and culture. Annotated BibliographyHollywell, C., & Walker, J., (2008). Private prayer as a suitable intervention for hospitalised patients: a critical review of the literature. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18, 637-651. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02510.xClare Hollywell, BN, RN, staff Nurse and Missionary Nurse, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. Jan Walker, BSC, PhD, RN, RHV, C. Psychol, FHEA, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKThe focus of the research was to collect evidence supporting the use of private prayer to improve the wellbeing for adult hospitalized patients. The research was conducted through a review of literature following a systematic approach. Limitations identified in the study were a lack of experimental research, sample bias, and a theoretical framework model. The study, intended for healthcare providers, identified evidence that there is a positive association between prayer and wellbeing.