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Positive Religious Coping in Cancer Patients Impacts Medical Care

Religious people more likely to receive aggressive medical treatment, study shows

Mar 18, 2009 20:51 GMT  ·  By
Religious cancer patients are more likely to receive aggressive medical care in their final hours, study shows
   Religious cancer patients are more likely to receive aggressive medical care in their final hours, study shows

While religion is a matter of individual choice, a new study comes to show that one’s end may be highly influenced by whether they believe in a higher power or not. Conducted on terminally-ill cancer patients, the research clearly demonstrates that those with firm religious beliefs are more likely to require or request aggressive medical treatment than those who do not resort to positive religious coping to come to terms with their disease, WebMD informs.

The study, published in the latest issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, included 345 advanced cancer patients who were monitored between January 2003 and August 2007 in hospitals and clinics across the US. All patients were observed until death – on average, all passed away four months after enrolling in the study. The results clearly reveal, though, that religious belief does play an essential part in the medical care the sufferer receives in their final days, with those who rely on it being more likely to resort to life-prolonging procedures than those who do not.

Whereas the number of requests for mechanical ventilation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation was bigger with religious cancer patients, that of “end-of-life planning strategies” was remarkably low. Sufferers who rely on religion in their final hours have less DNR (do not resuscitate) orders or living wills, the study shows, as opposed to those who do not believe in a higher power.

The explanation for the findings could be in that religious patients simply do not trust doctors enough to believe them when they’re being told that there is no more hope in their case. “There may be a sense that it is really not in the hands of the doctors to decide when to give up. Refusing some of these very aggressive medical interventions may be seen as giving up on the possibility that God might intervene.” study researcher Holly G. Prigerson, PhD, says for WebMD.

Oppositely, patients who do not rely on religion in their final hours tend to be more practical in their approach and understanding of the disease. For specific figures of the study, please go here.