Study: Praying Online Helps Cancer Patients
Posted on: Thursday, 4 January 2007, 17:40 CST
MADISON - Breast cancer patients who pray in online support groups can obtain mental health benefits, according to a new study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center of Excellence in Cancer Communications Research that was funded by the National Cancer Institute.
"We know that many cancer patients pray in online support groups to help them cope with their illness. This is the first study we are aware of that examines the psychological effects of this behavior," says Bret Shaw, an associate scientist in UW-Madison's College of Engineering and lead author of the study.
The analysis was conducted on message transcripts from 97 breast cancer patients participating in an online support group that was integrated with the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS) "Living with Breast Cancer" program, a computer-based health education and support system. The patients were recruited from Wisconsin and Michigan.
Surveys were administered before group access, then again four months later. Text messages within the computer-mediated support groups were analyzed using a text analysis program, which measured the percentage of words that were suggestive of religious belief and practice (e.g., pray, worship, faith, holy, God).
Writing a higher percentage of these religious words within the online support groups was associated with lower levels of negative emotions and higher levels of self-efficacy and functional well-being, even after controlling for patients' pre-test levels of religious beliefs.
"From a psychological standpoint, there are a variety of reasons why cancer patients may benefit from prayer - whether on the Internet or elsewhere. In reviewing the messages, some of the most common ways study participants used religion to cope with their illness included putting trust in God about the course of their illness and consequently feeling less stressed, believing in an afterlife and therefore being less afraid of death, finding blessings in their lives and appraising their cancer experience in a more constructive religious light," says Shaw.
---
On the Net:
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Related Articles
- Study Finds MRIs Delay Breast Cancer Treatment
- Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Treats 200th Cancer Patient in Clinical Studies With REOLYSIN(R)
- Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital Surgeons Find BSGI Effective in Determining Extent of Breast Cancer in Patients With Known Diagnosis
- Novartis's Femara Reduces Cancer Recurrence in Women, Finds Study
- CSL Behring Launches LEAD Program to Support Patient Group Advocacy Efforts
- Study: MDs Mum on Breast Cancer Options
- Religious Groups Take Lead for Gay Pride
- Men Have Prostate-Cancer Support Groups
- Study Sheds Light on Breast Cancer Gene Mutations
- Religious Groups Get Chunk of AIDS Money
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds