A new Masterclass article by a diverse group of professors from Campbell University explores the concept of spirituality and its potential health effects.
The article, “integrate spirituality into physiotherapy: exploring your emerging role as a recognized determinant of health”, appears in the current issue of archives in physiotherapy.
Dr. Alessandra Narciso Garcia Trepte, assistant professor in the Physiotherapy Department College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, is the main author.
In the article, the authors, known as Garcia Trepte, examine the existing evidence on the impact of spirituality on health results, discuss his implications for the practice of physiotherapy and education and provide practical examples of ‘Integration of spirituality in clinical care.
Particular attention is paid to evaluation and measurement tools to support its incorporation in practice, she says.
The contributory authors of the Campbell’s College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences of the Physiotherapy Department are the DRS. Tr gins, deputy professor, and Bridget Eubanks, director of clinical education and assistant professor.
The DRS are also contributory. Valerie Joseph, Deputy Professor in Psychology at the School of Education & Human Sciences, and Adam English, President of the Department of Christian Studies and Biomedical Human Sciences at the College of Arts & Sciences.
English, which teaches courses in theology, philosophy and ethics, said that the article is a “fantastic” example of interdisciplinary collaboration. The article, he says, is appropriate because it rises a vague of current interest in spirituality and health.
“Currently, there is a lot of learned excitation around these subjects and, in particular, the way in which spirituality works as a determinant of health results,” says English.
In June 2024, for example, the newspaper Health Affairs has published an article arguing and providing evidence of “spirituality as a determinant of health: emerging policies, practicals and systems”.
Also in June, he said, the American Medical Association adopted a resolution “spirituality in medical education and practice”. This resolution “recommends the availability of education on spiritual health, defined as meaning, objective and connectivity, in medical study programs, graduate medical training and professional development of the doctor as integral part of the care of the whole person ”.
According to the summary of the article by the authors of Campbell, “the distinction between spirituality and religion is clarified, with spirituality described as a broader and more personal experience which can exist inside and outside the contexts religious. Research shows that spirituality influences health in a mainly positive way, in particular in fields such as mental health, resilience and adaptation, making it an essential element of holistic care centered on the patient.
“In the end, the authors recommend recognizing spirituality as a key determinant of health and an important element of health care to ensure more inclusive treatment.”
Read the whole article here.