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Public Health Education, Promotion, and Intervention: Relevance of Religion and Spirituality

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Why Religion and Spirituality Matter for Public Health

Part of the book series: Religion, Spirituality and Health: A Social Scientific Approach ((RELSPHE,volume 2))

Abstract

This chapter reviews theories and empirical evidence on the associations between religion and spirituality (R/S) and public health education, promotion, and intervention – the public health subfield concentrations of about one-sixth of public health students nationwide. We discuss literature related to health programming at R/S sites, spiritually tailored treatments in healthcare settings, R/S interventions in workplaces, and meditation and mindfulness as spiritual interventions.

We have found a strong evidence base for positive outcomes from health programs conducted through religious organizations. Such programs have been categorized as faith-based, faith-placed, and collaborative, depending on the degree of involvement by health professionals and religious communities. Many R/S-tailored treatments have been offered in healthcare settings, and meta-analyses have shown benefits to psychological outcomes. In a few areas, especially in relation to reproductive health services, tensions may exist between religious communities and healthcare professionals that result in lower rates of utilization.

As part of a larger literature on workplace spirituality, R/S interventions that support health have been proposed for workplaces, although only rarely empirically studied.

Meditation and mindfulness interventions have a strong empirical base and are promising health-promotion activities usable in many settings ranging from workplaces to educational institutions, but it is unclear and sometimes controversial whether these practices are intrinsically R/S and/or require better tailoring to deeper R/S principles.

This chapter is one of thirteen reviews in this volume providing a public health perspective on the empirical evidence relating R/S to physical and mental health.

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  1. School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Doug Oman & Linda Neuhauser

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    Doug Oman

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Oman, D., Neuhauser, L. (2018). Public Health Education, Promotion, and Intervention: Relevance of Religion and Spirituality. In: Oman, D. (eds) Why Religion and Spirituality Matter for Public Health. Religion, Spirituality and Health: A Social Scientific Approach, vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73966-3_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73966-3_12

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