Faith's Role More Critical in Health Than in Politics

With the election year rapidly approaching, it seems this Christmas holiday has brought a renewed discussion on faith. It's as if everyone is asking whether faith should affect our choice for president. As for me, it's a perfect opportunity to back into health — what role does faith play in our health care?

Should physicians discuss issues of faith with their patients? Is it an invasion of privacy, disrespectful or a challenge to religious freedoms? Is a discussion about religion too far outside the boundaries of traditional medicine? These are important questions to ask. As a physician involved in treating disease and promoting a long, healthy and independent life, I strongly believe that I have a responsibility to discuss every aspect of life that can affect health — faith included.

In recent years, the discussion of faith and health has worked its way into the mainstream. Research has shown that those who believe in a higher power, attend religious services frequently and pray regularly tend to live longer, are less likely to be depressed, have a lower risk of and recover more quickly from illness and have fewer complications.

Studies have shown that when a social worker makes a visit to a patient and discusses issues of faith and provides spiritual support, the patient responds better to therapy, hospital stays are reduced and costs of care decrease. The evidence linking faith to better health is far from definitive, but compelling nonetheless. As more research arises, many physicians are compelled to raise the link between faith and health. In the appropriate setting, it can play a positive role in a patient's care.

The discussion of faith should be done as part of an annual physical along with other issues of health promotion and disease prevention. Just as nutrition, exercise and screening for disease are critical elements of the examination, so, too, is the role that one's beliefs have on life expectancy and risk of illness. Research has shown that patients resent having faith raised as part of the examination if the purpose of the visit was to address a minor acute problem. However, they appreciate discussion of faith when raised in the context of an annual physical examination or after the diagnosis of a serious disease.

Issues of faith must be raised tactfully, always respecting the patient's beliefs or lack thereof. At the Institute on Aging Senior Health Center, we routinely ask: "Is religion important in your life?" This is nonthreatening and respectful. Whether the response is yes or no, it typically engenders a discussion about faith and health. I always point out that being religious and being spiritual are not always the same. Attending religious services, reading the Bible or leading a Sunday school class are not as powerful for your health as practicing the essential tenets of religion and living a faithful life. Whether you are a believer or not, you can certainly maintain the qualities of a spiritual person.

Research shows that there are four important elements of spirituality that promote health and longevity. First, being a good, moral and honest person will lengthen your life expectancy. Second, love is central to all faiths; love of family, friends and community is a powerful component of being a happy and healthy individual. Third, you must give of yourself. Whether it is volunteering or giving to a good cause, being charitable is a powerful predictor of longevity. And the more you give in relation to what you have, the greater the benefit. So give to a cause that is important to you and give generously — it is an insurance policy to a longer and better life. Finally, you must be forgiving. Do not bear a grudge; learn to let go and forgive. Those who remain angry or state that they "don't get angry, they get even," are looking for trouble.

Whether you believe in a higher power or not, faith and spirituality are important elements to consider when pursuing a healthy life. Physicians and patients should consider renewing their own discussions about faith and health during this season. I hope we will all resolve to be better, kinder, more understanding, loving and tolerant human beings — our good health depends on it.

Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of the book "Breaking the Rules of Aging." To find out more about Dr. David Lipschitz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. More information is available at www.drdavidhealth.com.

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