Jewish physicians' beliefs and practices regarding religion/spirituality in the clinical encounter

J Relig Health. 2011 Dec;50(4):806-17. doi: 10.1007/s10943-011-9509-1.

Abstract

We used data from a 2003 survey of US physicians to examine differences between Jewish and other religiously affiliated physicians on 4-D of physicians' beliefs and practices regarding religion and spirituality (R/S) in the clinical encounter. On each dimension, Jewish physicians ascribed less importance to the effect of R/S on health and a lesser role for physicians in addressing R/S issues. These effects were partially mediated by lower levels of religiosity among Jewish physicians and by differences in demographic and practice-level characteristics. The study provides a salient example of how religious affiliation can be an important independent predictor of physicians' clinically-relevant beliefs and practices.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attitude of Health Personnel / ethnology*
  • Attitude to Health / ethnology*
  • Christianity
  • Cultural Characteristics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Jews / psychology*
  • Judaism / psychology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Physician-Patient Relations*
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'*
  • Religion and Medicine*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States / epidemiology