FAITH AND HEALTH

There is a growing interest in the spiritual dimension of health and how that dimension interacts with our physical well being. For example, a host of medical books and articles discuss the health benefits of prayer and meditation.

Medical research also continues to emphasize the importance of social support in both the prevention and treatment of disease.

One place where social support and the spiritual dimension of health converge is in faith communities. Regardless of a person's spiritual convictions, when they join regularly with others of like belief, physical health benefits result.

These subjects are not only addressed in the lay press. Public health and preventive medicine professionals are focusing more attention on these areas. Less than a year ago, while in Washington DC, I was pleased to find a strong emphasis on working with faith communities at the national meeting of the American Public Health Association.

The three radio scripts included in this issue deal with the growing recognition that faith communities are important from a public health perspective.

SECTION II

What are the most important issues when it comes to keeping well? I'm Dr. David DeRose. In a moment we'll look at preventive medicine on WellnessWise.

Dr. William Foege, formerly director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, observed that we used to think health was an issue of people vs. nature. We focused on issues like improving food and water hygiene in order to decrease infectious diseases; or providing food to drought stricken areas in order to prevent malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies.

However, Foege pointed out that currently our greatest public health problems are due to millions of individual actions. The leading causes of death in America today are due to people vs._themselves_. Over 400,000 Americans die each year from our leading preventable risk factor, tobacco use. 300,000 die annually from poor nutrition choices. Another 100,000 die from the effects of alcohol.

Indeed, our problems dealing with nature are overshadowed by our personal choices. However, as a nation we invest very little to help people make better personal choices.

Dr. Foege emphasized that educating people on the laws of health needs to be a national priority. And he stated that one fitting place for such education to occur is in the context of faith communities--such as meet in churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, etc.

Our nation and its health professionals need to reach out to faith communities. And faith communities need to see themselves even more as advocates of a healthy lifestyle.

For WellnessWise, I'm Dr. David DeRose.

"SEARCHING FOR THE SACRED"

Spirituality--does it affect our health? I'm Dr. David DeRose. "Searching for the Sacred" in a moment on today's WellnessWise.

"...millions of Americans are embarking on a search for the sacred in their lives." That observation was the focal point of Newsweek's November 28, 1994 cover story. In that issue a series of articles and reports provided evidence of America's growing spiritual interest. A Newsweek poll also supported that contention. Here's one particularly noteworthy finding: a majority of Americans--58%--say they "feel the need to experience spiritual growth."

Just one month before, the issue of spirituality came up in another setting--at the American Public Health Association (APHA) meetings in Washington DC.

Dr. Caswell Evans, then APHA's president-elect, hosted a blue ribbon panel discussion on a topic that he believed would have an enduring impact in the field of public health. His topic: how public health professionals can improve the health of the American public by working together with faith communities-- whether they meet in churches, mosques, synagogues, temples or other settings for worship and spiritual life.

For a variety of reasons the American public and even public health experts are turning their attention to spirituality and faith communities. We will look at some of those reasons in our next program.

For WellnessWise, I'm Dr. David DeRose.

Ref. Barbara Kantrowitz, et al., "The Search for the Sacred: America's Quest for Spiritual Meaning", Newsweek, November 28, 1994.

FAITH COMMUNITIES AND HEALTH

Can religious groups help to promote public health? I'm Dr. David DeRose, in a moment the controversial subject of faith and public health on today's WellnessWise.

A blue ribbon panel of faith community leaders and public health professionals met in Washington D.C. at the end of October 1994.

The participants represented a variety of cultural and religious perspectives yet portrayed a remarkably consistent vision. They believe that our nation's health can be improved by strengthening relations between community health programs and local faith communities. Whether they are Catholic or Protestant--whether they're Jewish or Christian, whether they're Islamic or Buddhist, faith communities offer potential that can work for the common good.

Some of the characteristics of faith communities than may help them promote community health are as follows.

(1) Worship centers are visible and available. They can be found in every neighborhood.

(2) Faith communities are already addressing many of the underlying causes for America's health problems such as hopelessness and helplessness; prejudice, superstition and fear.

(3) Faith communities are made up of people who are already a part of their civic community--they thus have built in community associations and influence.

(4) An emphasis on community service is not new. Faith communities have a long history of meeting community needs.

(5) Many faith communities have an educational infrastructure--they are already looked to as sources for health educational services--whether it be through programs on teen pregnancy prevention-or AA meetings.

Truly, public health professionals and members of faith communities must work together to best meet the needs of the entire population.

For WellnessWise, I'm Dr. David DeRose.

SECTION III

SCIENCE/HEALTH ABSTRACTS

Studies from Denmark, Sweden, England and Wales have shown an increased incidence of lung cancer in meat cutters and butchers. A study from Baltimore, Maryland, demonstrates an unusually high incidence of lung cancer in men who worked in slaughterhouses, chicken-slaughtering plants, meat-packing plants and the meat department of supermarkets. This excess incidence was not related to smoking. The researchers feel that workers may be exposed to viruses which produce lymphoma or leukemia in animals, and to papillomaviruses, which are associated with the development of cancer. (Journal of the National Cancer Institute 83(18)1337-1339, September 18, 1991)

SECTION IV PARTING WORDS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

I have appreciated the reader feedback on the possibility of a question and answer section for this newsletter. The responses have been mixed. Some were enthusiastic about the idea. Others felt it would detract from the value of the newsletter. So, for now, I've tabled the idea of the Q&A section. I will still try to at least respond in some way if you have a question that you address to me.

SUBSCRIPTION INFO

We continue to distribute The WellnessWise Electronic Journal free of charge via Internet E-mail to all subscribers. Please address subscription requests and other correspondence to my preferred address: docderose@aol.com. (Alternate address is 74532.622@compuserve.com.)

SOME WORDS ABOUT OUR SPONSORS

Our primary sponsor continues to be Living Springs Lifestyle Center. There are a number of other individuals and organizations who have helped with the newsletter, others are considering joining us as sponsors. It is only by their generosity that we can continue to provide this free newsletter.

Living Springs Lifestyle Center (phone: 1-800-SAY-WELL). Located less than one hour from Manhattan, Living Springs offers residential preventive medicine programs such as weight control, smoking cessation, cholesterol and blood pressure reduction, etc. The facility includes spa services, vegan diet, health lectures, exercise sessions, cooking classes, and more.

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