Religion and Spirituality

Religion, spirituality, and participation in faith-defined communities are central to the human condition. For many people, religion and spirituality are powerful tools for understanding their well-being and health. People seek, understand, and accept counsel and messages about health when these messages are framed in ways consistent with their religious and spiritual beliefs. Furthermore, research indicates a positive relationship between religious involvement and a range of health behaviors and conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease, sexually risky behavior, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, HIV, and smoking. However, at the date of this writing little information is available linking communication with these issues. This entry will review the state of that literature, beginning with a brief history of the confluence of health, religion/spirituality, and communication and then ...