Summer Research: Religious Traditions
This week, I placed a focus on research relating to religious faiths and beliefs systems in end-of-life care. A recent article from CBS News, Religion’s Impact on End-of-Life Care, portrays how “Terminally ill cancer patients who relied on their religious faith to help them cope with their disease were more likely to receive aggressive medical care during their last week of life.”1 Through my research of various religions, I have learned of various methods that patients use to empower themselves with hope and comfort. This includes:
- Prayers, Chants, or Songs
- Religious Study and Scripture Readings
- Religious Items and Symbols
- Rituals with Religious Leaders such as Last Rites
For example, a scripture reading that is used for comfort in many Christian religious traditions is Ecclesiastes 3:2, a “time to be born, and a time to die.” 2 Religions such as Hinduism use sacred items at the end of life including symbols of the family deity, incense, and water from the Ganges, and use chants as a method of prayer.3 Another important source provided by Honoring Choices Minnesota is a group of videos on “Faith, Culture, and Identity Perspectives.” 4 These stories are a simple and effective method to allow patients from many different backgrounds to understand experiences of other patients and families that have been through similar experiences. These videos provide comfort to patients with advanced illness by discussing topics such as:
- End-of-Life Discussions
- Specific Religious Rituals Such as Burial Traditions
- Readings from Religious Texts
- Hospice and Palliative Care
During this past week, I have been able to find many resources and websites that have provided important methods of hope and comfort for people of various religions. However, I welcome any resources or knowledge from content experts that may enhance the research into these areas of interest. If anyone has any background or insight into these issues, please contact me at .
- Boyles, Salynn. “Religion’s Impact on End-of-Life Care.” CBS News. 18 March 2009. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500368_162-4873603.html.
- “Establish Principles With Regard to the Prolongation of Life.” Acts of Convention: Resolution # 1991-a093. The Archives of the Episcopal Church. <http://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=1991-a093.>
- “Caring Across Cultures and Belief Systems.” Roswell Park Cancer Institute.<http://www.nacc.org/docs/conference/2011/S6%20Cultures%20and%20Belief%20Systems%20-%20Lenegan%20%282%29.pdf>.
- “Faith, Culture & Identity Perspectives – Honoring Choices Minnesota.” Jewish. Twin Cities Public Television & Twin Cities Medical Society, 2013. <http://www.honoringchoices.org/videostories/fcip/S>.
