Spirituality, Chronic Illness, and Healing: Unique Challenges and Opportunities

Stoltzfus, Michael J.; Green, Rebecca

doi:10.1057/9781137348456_2

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…To reiterate, for many people of African-Caribbean descent, faith plays a critical role in their ability to cope with post-migration life stressors and is predictive of changing health-related behaviors, like restraining from drugs and alcohol, that can inadvertently result in chronic diseases (Goode et al, 2017 , p. 28). The health disparity in chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension that exist for many African-Caribbean immigrants is partly due to lack of health promotion strategies and accessible self-care management programs in these communities (Stoltzfus and Green, 2013 , p. 16; Gagné and Veenstra, 2017 , p. 371). It is, therefore, evidentiary to say that the religious and spiritual dimensions of African-Caribbean immigrant women should be given substantial consideration in their overall care and treatment planning.…”

Section: Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intersectionality of Cultural Identities in Health Psychology: Key Recommendations for Working With African-Caribbean Immigrant Women

Dixon

2019

Front. Sociol.

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While the field of health psychology has progressed over the years, much work still needs to be done when considering immigrants' health care and well-being. Particularly, for African-Caribbean immigrants, the intersectionality of their cultural identities in the health care system require much attention moving forward. Therefore, this article is particularly relevant for Canada's multicultural society; it describes cultural identity reconstruction within health psychology as a common issue for diverse groups, particularly African-Caribbean immigrant women. The article speaks to the holistic worldview that is required in a paradigm shift which engages a pluralistic society that is Canada. The author presents a key cultural identity model and assessment tool that should be integrated into the health care system to ensure culturally-sensitive and inclusive care for immigrants, especially women. As is argued in the article, contemporary research, advocacy, and social movements speak to invoking alternative ways to complement the prevailing downstream approach to health psychology. In a growing multicultural society that should strive on honoring and respecting the pluralistic cultural worldviews of all people in the health care system, many immigrant women struggle to cope with the social determinants of health post-migration. Their concerns are often pushed to the margins of health care services, with several individuals relying on their faith for coping strategies. This article concludes with culturally-informed and socially-just recommendations for health care professionals working with immigrant populations, particularly African Caribbean immigrant women.

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Section: Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intersectionality of Cultural Identities in Health Psychology: Key Recommendations for Working With African-Caribbean Immigrant Women

Dixon

2019

Front. Sociol.

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“…Migration and settling in a new country is fraught with challenges, and too often causes a strain on migrants' lives, Hence, many migrants turn to religion for solace and healing. Divine healing is about how people face the paradox of illness and wellness, tragedy and triumph, despair and hope, pain and joy that are always shifting and changing (Stoltzfus & Green 2013). Facing an ongoing illness that highlights the fragility of the human experience therefore provides a connection to the exploration of divine healing through various means.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Materiality of Pentecostal Religious Healing: The Case of Cameroonian Migrants in Cape Town

Nyamnjoh¹

2018

Alternation

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Based on ethnographic research among Cameroonian migrants living in Cape Town, South Africa, this study looks at the use of sacred healing objects among these migrant groups. Exploring the extent to which migrants' everyday lives are rooted in the nexus of attaining divine healing and consolidating healing gains through the use of religious sacred healing objects and the 'word', I interrogate how the use of these objects within Pentecostal churches fulfils the quest for divine healing among Cameroonian migrants. I argue that the sheer challenges of migration and the difficulties that goes with it, increases the tendency of migrants to look towards Pentecostal churches for healing, increases, so too does their belief in the healing powers of various healing objects that migrants buy in a bid to attain wholeness and be at peace with oneself.

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“…Spiritual sources are perceived as protective agents against diseases and stress. In various studies, it has been demonstrated that fortifying the spiritual dimension of life can alleviate the symptoms of diseases [ 27 ], despair and depression [ 28 ], and improve one's adaptation ability [ 29 ], mental health [ 30 ], social function [ 31 ], quality of life [ 32 ], meaning of life [ 27 ], and attitude towards life [ 33 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship between Spiritual Well-Being and Resilience in Patients with Psoriasis

RahimZahedi

Torabizadeh

Kalyani

et al. 2021

Dermatology Research and Practice

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Psoriasis skin disease affects the patients’ health and quality of life to a great extent. Given the chronic nature of the disease, identifying the factors affecting adaptation to the disease can provide guidelines required for helping these patients deal with their problems. This study was conducted with the purpose of investigating the relationship between spiritual well-being and resilience in patients suffering from psoriasis. The present study is a descriptive-analytical work conducted in the largest city in the south of Iran in 2019. 150 patients diagnosed with psoriasis completed Ellison and Paloutzian’s Spiritual Well-Being Scale and Connor and Davidson’s Resiliency Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS v. 20, descriptive (frequency distribution, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson, regression, and t-test). The significance level was set at 0.05. The obtained mean scores were 54.84 ± 13.25 for resilience and 73.22 ± 11.13 for spiritual health. Spiritual health predicted 43% of the variance of resilience, and all resilience-related factors had a significant positive relationship with spiritual well-being-related factors ( P > 0.05 ). An analysis of the relationship between demographic variables on the one hand and resilience and spiritual well-being on the other indicated that an increase in the patients’ academic status, duration of the disease, and age correlated with an increase in their resilience and spiritual well-being. Also, male patients and married patients were found to possess higher levels of resilience and spiritual well-being. According to the findings of the present study, spiritual well-being correlates with resilience in patients with psoriasis. Considering the chronic nature of the disease, it is recommended that more attention be paid to promoting spiritual health in the care plans of these patients.

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Spirituality, Chronic Illness, and Healing: Unique Challenges and Opportunities

Cited by 5 publications

References 35 publications

Intersectionality of Cultural Identities in Health Psychology: Key Recommendations for Working With African-Caribbean Immigrant Women

Intersectionality of Cultural Identities in Health Psychology: Key Recommendations for Working With African-Caribbean Immigrant Women

The Materiality of Pentecostal Religious Healing: The Case of Cameroonian Migrants in Cape Town

The Relationship between Spiritual Well-Being and Resilience in Patients with Psoriasis

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