Latest Research analysis shows Spirituality is key to good health

Spirituality to be a vital part of health care

A team of three scientists identified almost 9000 professional articles referencing Spirituality in health, specifically with reference to serious illness. The lead researcher, Tracy Balboni, professor of oncology at Harvard Medical School, announced: 

“Our findings indicate that attention to spirituality in serious illness and in health should be a vital part of future whole person-centred care.”

New Initiatives proposed

On the basis of this extensive review and the evidence it provides three new initiatives for the care of those with serious illnesses were proposed:

• incorporate spiritual care into care for patients with serious illness;
• incorporate spiritual care education into training of interdisciplinary teams caring for persons with serious illness; and
• include specialty practitioners of spiritual care in care of patients with serious illness.

Findings endorse previous study

According to our Patron Dr William Bloom, these conclusions echo a similar review from 2012 by Harold D Koenig*, which found that those with a spiritual outlook not only performed better, but were happier, had better health, and lived longer than their non-spiritual counterparts.

‍