Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Curlin, F. A. Articles by Koenig, H. G. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Curlin, F. A. Articles by Koenig, H. G. General Topics in Psychiatry Related Articles

The Relationship Between Psychiatry and Religion Among U.S. Physicians

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the religious characteristics of psychiatrists with those of other physicians and explored whether nonpsychiatrist physicians who are religious are less willing than their colleagues to refer patients to psychiatrists and psychologists. METHODS: Surveys were mailed to a stratified random sample of 2,000 practicing U.S. physicians, with an oversampling of psychiatrists. Physicians were queried about their religious characteristics. They also read a brief vignette about a patient with ambiguous psychiatric symptoms and were asked whether they would refer the patient to a clergy member or religious counselor, or to a psychiatrist or a psychologist. RESULTS: A total of 1,144 physicians completed the survey, including 100 psychiatrists. Compared with other physicians, psychiatrists were more likely to be Jewish (29% versus 13%) or without a religious affiliation (17% versus 10%), less likely to be Protestant (27% versus 39%) or Catholic (10% versus 22%), less likely to be religious in general, and more likely to consider themselves spiritual but not religious (33% versus 19%). Nonpsychiatrist physicians who were religious were more willing to refer patients to clergy members or religious counselors (multivariate odds ratios from 2.9 to 5.7) and less willing to refer patients to psychiatrists or psychologists (multivariate odds ratios from .4 to .6). CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrists are less religious than other physicians, and religious physicians are less willing than nonreligious physicians to refer patients to psychiatrists. These findings suggest that historic tensions between religion and psychiatry continue to shape the care that patients receive for mental health concerns.

Related Articles:

The Need for "Community Cultural Competence"

Greer Sullivan
Psychiatr Serv 2007 58: 1145. [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. Fitchett, K. Rasinski, W. Cadge, and F. A. Curlin Physicians' Experience and Satisfaction With Chaplains: A National Survey Arch Intern Med, October 26, 2009; 169(19): 1808 - 1810. [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Mushtaq and M. A. Hafeez Psychiatr. Bull., October 1, 2008; 32(10): 395 - 395. [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. G. Koenig Religion and mental health: what should psychiatrists do? Psychiatr. Bull., June 1, 2008; 32(6): 201 - 203. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Pies Psychiatrists and Religious Belief Psychiatr Serv, November 1, 2007; 58(11): 1499 - 1499. [Full Text] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2007 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us