Journal of Religion & Health最新文献

This exploratory scoping review was conducted in the context of Belgium's ongoing military chaplaincy reform, which aims to develop an inclusive and operationally relevant model of spiritual care aligned with NATO interoperability efforts. The objective was to examine international literature to identify transferable concepts, models, and theories. From 348 records, 133 were screened, and 61 peer-reviewed publications (articles and dissertations) were retained. The review revealed a diversity of specific approaches to military spiritual care, but no single dominant model that could be directly applied to the Belgian context. In the absence of universally transferable frameworks, the thematic elements related to chaplains' roles were abductively organized into four axes that can serve as both conceptual and analytical frameworks: (1) spiritual-existential support across and beyond denominational boundaries; (2) moral guidance and ethical resilience regarding moral injury and value conflict; (3) integration into holistic health and well-being systems; and (4) operational, cultural and command-related contributions. These axes highlight the multidimensional, multi-worldview, and multidisciplinary nature of chaplains' functions and provide modular building blocks for developing flexible, context-sensitive, and interoperable frameworks. Further research and international collaboration are recommended.

One of the most common congenital defects affecting the orofacial areas worldwide is cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P), which causes a range of social, psychological, and medical challenges for affected children and their families. Several socio-cultural beliefs and superstitions are attached to this condition, but little is known about how CL/P is framed by Muslim parents. The religious, spiritual, and cultural construction of CL/P is a significant yet often overlooked aspect of the subject covered in this study. It also discusses how parents of children with CL/P use spirituality and religion as coping strategies. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, data were gathered from 21 parents of children with CL/P at a cleft care hospital in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, Pakistan. The purposive sampling technique was used to ensure that participants had direct and relevant lived experience. By utilizing thematic analysis technique, four main and nine sub-themes were identified regarding parents' religio-spiritual and cultural construction of CL/P. In addition to understanding their children's condition through religious and cultural beliefs, the study also found that parents utilized religion and spirituality as coping mechanisms and saw CL/P as a 'test' from God. Many parents seemed to believe in superstitions embedded in Punjabi culture and associated CL/P with several cultural constructions and rituals. The study concludes that religious, spiritual, and cultural beliefs shape how Muslim parents in Punjab, Pakistan constructed and interpreted CL/P. Further, religious and spiritual belief gave optimism and courage to parents as they prayed to God for the quick recovery of their children.

Spirituality is a central yet often overlooked component of care, particularly for people facing advanced chronic illness or approaching the end of life. This integrative review examined evidence on how spiritual care influences emotional, existential, and quality of life outcomes, and identified factors that facilitate or hinder its integration into clinical practice. We searched EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, BvS, Cochrane, and gray literature for peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025. Inclusion criteria included adults (≥ 18 years) with advanced or terminal illness, as well as quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, and review designs, and publications in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Twenty-four studies met eligibility criteria. Across all settings and diagnoses, higher spiritual well-being was consistently linked to lower anxiety and depression, greater hope and resilience, better health-related quality of life, and greater acceptance of death. Addressing spiritual needs, particularly meaning, belonging, reconciliation, and death preparation, reduced distress and enhanced dignity when integrated into Advance Care Planning. However, heterogeneity in spirituality definitions, limited professional training, and weak institutional support hindered consistent implementation. These findings underscore spirituality as a determinant of health that should be systematically assessed, taught, and incorporated into the care of patients with serious illness. A brief spiritual assessment, structured meaning-centered conversations with family inclusion, and Advance Care Planning that reflects patients' beliefs and values are recommended.

Existing research has established a high prevalence of moral injury (MI) among healthcare workers and its association with severe negative outcomes, underscoring the need to elucidate its underlying mechanisms. Although personality traits are theorized to predispose individuals to MI, direct empirical evidence for this relationship remains scarce. This study recruited 439 physicians (240 female) and 562 nurses (527 female) from three hospitals in southern China. Participants were assessed for MI symptoms, Big Five (BF) personality traits, Light Triad (LT) traits, and Dark Triad (DT) traits. Using network analysis, we constructed the BF-LT-DT-MI network to identify the trait-to-symptom connections. Bridge expected influence (BEI) was computed to quantify the bridging role of these traits toward the MI symptoms cluster. In the BF-LT-DT-MI network, trait-to-symptom connections were distinct (e.g., Agreeableness-Loss of trust; Neuroticism-Loss of meaning; Conscientiousness-Loss of faith; Faith in Humanity-Loss of trust; Humanism-Loss of faith; Kantianism-Loss of faith; Machiavellianism-Self-condemnation; Psychopathy-Feeling betrayed; Psychopathy-Self-condemnation). Neuroticism, Machiavellianism and Psychopathy had the highest positive BEIs, whereas Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Extraversion, and Faith in Humanity had the highest negative BEIs. Our findings provide novel insights into MI through the lens of personality and may offer empirical targets for early screening, prevention, and intervention among healthcare workers. The clinical implications are discussed.

Suicide stigma is a pervasive barrier to suicide prevention efforts. Although several suicide stigma measures are available, a suicide stigma assessment tool that is specific to religious communities has yet to be created. This research was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of a scale that measures religiously themed suicide stigma. The sample consisted of 378 adult participants from across the USA who attend a religious community, with over 40% of the sample identifying as "faith leaders." The Religious Suicide Stigma Measure (RSSM) items were conceptualized based on statements made by congregants experiencing suicidal behaviors (CESB) and operationalized into twenty-four items. After removing items based on low item-total correlations, low factor loadings, and to increase both internal consistency and a good fit in structural equation modeling, nine items remained. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and two factors were found: Community Hostility and Religious Stereotypes. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted, and the model with nine items exhibited good fit, and all items showed strong factor loadings. The RSSM is a nine-item measure that shows high reliability, content and construct validity, as well as convergent and discriminant validity with a public stigma measure. Future research can also utilize this measure to assess religious suicide stigma and its relationship to mental health symptoms and help-seeking behaviors.

This study examines the interconnectedness of spiritual intelligence and innovation by conducting a comprehensive bibliometric analysis using the Scopus database. Although prior reviews have separately addressed spiritual intelligence and innovation, integrated analyses of their relationship remain limited. Our analysis identified seven key research clusters, encompassing the role of spiritual intelligence in fostering organisational innovation, shaping culture, enhancing creativity, influencing ethical behaviour, employee performance, and leadership. The findings illuminate thematic developments, evolutionary trends, and emerging research directions, such as creativity, leadership, and culture, focusing primarily on countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, and the USA. This study contributes valuable insights to guide future research and practical applications in this evolving field.

Many physicians believe that spiritual care is a necessary component of holistic medical care. Despite the apparent importance of spiritual care, very few Australian medical schools include such content in their curricula. We used data from two previous research projects to develop the evidence base for an Australian medical school curriculum for spiritual care training. This curriculum paper describes the content and delivery of pilot workshops, assessment of their efficacy, along with details of the learning journey for both the students and the medical educator. Learning needs were identified in a pre-workshop interview with a simulated patient. Each student had the opportunity to demonstrate their new spiritual history-taking skills, during the workshop and in a formative assessment in the weeks following their training. Our aim for this paper is to share our methodology and our curriculum. We also describe how we approached the assessment of its efficacy, the outcome of which will be presented in a subsequent paper. We hope this will assist other educators in adopting this model of teaching spiritually focused holistic patient care.

Spiritual well-being is essential to overall well-being for healthcare providers. Furthermore, providing spiritual care depends on providers' spiritual well-being and competence in assessing patients' spiritual care needs. Including spiritual care in maternal healthcare represents an opportunity to improve the quality of patient care. We conducted interviews with 20 maternal healthcare providers to understand how to address spiritual care implementation goals. Through thematic analysis, the following themes were identified: defining spirituality, the interplay of provider spirituality and spiritual care, and the barriers and facilitators to support provider well-being. Opportunities to support provider well-being, an essential piece of developing spiritual care programs, are discussed.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and has multidimensional impacts, including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects. Spiritual well-being (SWB), which encompasses religious and existential dimensions, is crucial in helping patients cope with the disease. However, its role in CHD patients has not been comprehensively mapped. This scoping review explores the concept of spiritual well-being, its dimensions, and its impact on CHD patients. This scoping review uses the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Literature searches were conducted using the Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Springer, and ProQuest databases with keywords related to CHD and SWB. Inclusion criteria included original articles in English, full text, published between 2014 and 2025, and examining SWB in CHD patients. Of the 1,698 articles identified, eleven articles met the criteria for analysis. Most of the studies originated from Iran, followed by Turkey, Indonesia, and Brazil. The results showed that high spiritual well-being was associated with reduced anxiety, depression, and fear of death; lower severity of coronary heart disease; and improved quality of life. Spiritual well-being plays a crucial role in improving psychological aspects, promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors, and improving the quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease.

Menopause represents a natural transition in a woman's life, profoundly shaping her psychological well-being and social identity. This study aimed to explore the spiritual and psychological experiences of women during menopause in Turkey and to understand how religious and spiritual practices influence their coping processes and perceptions of womanhood. A qualitative research design based on semi-structured interviews was used with 17 women aged 40-65 years, with diverse educational and occupational backgrounds. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that menopause is a multidimensional process encompassing emotional, social, and spiritual transformation. Participants frequently used religious and spiritual practices such as prayer and worship to manage emotional distress and enhance psychological resilience. Four major themes emerged: identity and social roles, continuity and transformation of life, emotional experiences, and spirituality and faith. Overall, the study highlights that spirituality serves as a significant source of coping and meaning-making during menopause. Incorporating spiritual perspectives into healthcare counseling and support programs, including midwifery services, may strengthen women's psychological well-being during this life stage.