Authors

  1. McConnell, Timothy R. PhD

Article Content

Introduction:

Religiosity, spirituality and social demographics are related to effective coping and higher quality of life among persons with cardiovascular disease; therefore, our purpose was to examine demographic influences on religious and spiritual coping after a first time cardiac event.

 

Methods:

105 patients (24w, 81m; age = 60.6 +/- 11.5) with a 1st time MI (n = 57) or bypass surgery (BP; n = 48) completed 3 questionnaires (Spiritual and Religious Concerns; Religiosity Measure; Religious Coping Activity Scale). Differences in responses were examined as a function of age, sex, religious affiliation, diagnosis, marital status and education.

 

Results:

Women scored higher on Religiosity, Spiritual Based Coping, Good Deeds Coping, and Religious Avoidance Coping (P < 0.05). Those who claimed no religious affiliation scored lower on Religiosity, Ritual Religiosity, Good Deeds Coping, and Interpersonal Religious Support Coping (P < 0.05). The no affiliation group tended to rate higher Discontent Coping while Protestants were higher than Catholics (P < 0.07). Single individuals scored higher for Spiritual Based Coping but lower for Discontent Coping (P < 0.05). Plead Coping was an inverse function of education (P < 0.08).

 

Discussion:

Regarding positive religious coping responses to disease, women scored higher than men. Those declaring a specific religious affiliation had higher scores than those with no affiliation. Single individuals tended to rely more on positive religious coping. Negative religious coping, such as anger and alienation, was most prevalent among non-affiliates, greater among Protestants versus Catholics, and was more prevalent among those married. Tendencies to bargain with God in hopes of a miraculous solution were an inverse function of education (lower levels of education rated higher).

 

Conclusions:

This information provides cardiac rehabilitation professionals with guidelines as to who may rely on positive religious coping so they can obtain appropriate consults. More importantly, professionals may target those at risk for negative religious coping, which is associated with greater psychological distress and declines in physical function (including mortality); therefore, these individuals may benefit from interventions to address their spiritual struggles.