PURPOSE: To explore the meaning of prayer in Korean patients with end-stage cancer who profess Christianity or Buddhism, given the significant differences between these religions. METHODS: The Colaizzi (1978) analysis method was employed. In-depth interview were performed with 13 participants (seven Christians and six Buddhists) who were admitted to a University-affiliated hospital in Korea. RESULTS: The six categories emerged: 1) communication with God, 2) mind discipline, 3) spiritual growth, 4) mysterious experiences, 5) perception of death and after-life, and 6) various forms of prayers. CONCLUSION: The participants' prayer experiences were described in a religious context. Christians believed that prayer is communication with God while Buddhists regarded it as disciplining of minds. Despite some differences between the religious groups, a general meaning of prayer was a desperate desire to solve their health issues by relying on God or someone who is more powerful than themselves. They also experienced personal and spiritual growth through prayer. This study explains the phenomenon of prayer experiences and shows that prayer is an important coping mechanism.
Buddhism ; Christianity ; Faith Healing ; Humans ; Korea ; Methods ; Religion*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the conception toward mental illness out of protestant pastors and preachers in the Hospital and Church. METHODS: The sample in this study consisted of 95 pastors and 53 preachers. The data were collected through a mail questionnaire survey using the questionnaire of Jin-Wook Sohn and Bou-Yong Rhi(1983). Statistics employed for the analysis were the Chi-square test. RESULTS: 1) The hospital pastors/preachers had demonological orientation significantly less than the church pastors/preachers in explaining the mental breakdown during and/or after the revival service. In this case, the hospital pastors/preachers chose psychiatric treatment as a treatment mode significantly more than those in the church. 2) The hospital pastors/preachers chose psychiatrist as a curer of demon possession significantly more than those in the church. 3) The pastors/preachers in hospitals with department of psychiatry chose psychological treatment significantly more than those in the church and In the hospital without department of psychiatry as a treatment mode of mental illness. 4) In the case of a family member of hospital pastors/preachers having mental illness, the hospital pastors/preachers would choose psychiatric treatment as a treatment mode significantly more than those in the church. CONCLUSION: The results from this study suggest that the role of psychiatrists might be very instrumental to pastors and preachers in being able to become aware of correct conceptions toward mental illness. Furthermore, the pastors/preachers working in the hospital would be more proper and moderate objects than those working in the church.
Faith Healing ; Fertilization* ; Humans ; Postal Service ; Protestantism* ; Psychiatry ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the degree of pain belief in musculoskeletal patients, and to identify the correlation with chronic pain, pain coping and pain disability. METHODS: A total of 203 inpatients or outpatients with chronic pain in orthopedics agreed voluntarily to participate in this study and answer a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 17.0 program with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and simple linear regression. RESULTS: The degree of pain belief in this study showed statistically significant differences depending on their age, education, job, health status, and pain duration. Among the variables correlating with pain belief in this study, there were positive correlations between pain and pain disability, pain and passive coping, pain belief and passive coping, pain belief and pain, pain belief and pain disability. The strongest correlation was passive coping and pain disability. CONCLUSION: From the results of this study, we concluded that it is necessary to develop the nursing intervention which can help reducing negative pain belief in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Also we need to enhance the ways of coping to active or chronic pains for controlling them effectively.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Chronic Pain ; Disability Evaluation ; Faith Healing ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Musculoskeletal Pain ; Orthopedics ; Outpatients ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A 46-year-old woman was admitted with an ulcerative lesion on the posterior neck. Four months before admission, the patient took part in a faith healing ritual, which the pastor performed with his fingernails causing wounds. This abnormal method of healing caused repeated injury to the patient in the posterior neck area. Treatment with cefazolin was begun, but the lesion did not improve. Biopsy of the skin lesion and cervical lymph nodes was performed. Microscopical examination revealed findings highly suggestive of syphilis. Serological tests for syphilis were positive and a computed tomographic (CT) scan of the neck showed enlargement of regional lymph nodes and tonsils. A single dose of penicillin G 2.4 million units was given intramuscularly. Two weeks later, the wound had healed. Eight weeks after treatment, the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory titer had decreased and a CT scan of the neck showed a decrease in the size of the lymph nodes. We reasoned that syphilis was non-sexually transmitted, and that the healing ritual was the cause. Our case suggests that skin trauma by scratching with the fingernails may cause an accidental direct inoculation of Treponema pallidum, resulting in extragenital primary syphilis.
Biopsy ; Cefazolin ; Faith Healing ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Middle Aged ; Nails* ; Neck ; Palatine Tonsil ; Penicillin G ; Serologic Tests ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Skin ; Syphilis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treponema pallidum ; Ulcer ; Wounds and Injuries