Less Fear of Death, Better Coping Among Religious AIDS Patients

According to researchers at Yale University School of Medicine1, AIDS patients who are religiously active are less likely to fear death and may have better coping skills than nonreligious patients.

In their study, 90 HIV-positive patients were surveyed about their fear of death, end-of-life decisions, religious status, and guilt about HIV infection. The researchers discovered that, "HIV infection challenges the deepest beliefs that HIV-positive patients have." Specifically, they found that 32% of the patients expressed a fear of death, 44% of patients felt guilty about their HIV infection, and 26% felt their disease was some form of punishment (17% felt it was punishment from God).

When religious status was factored in, several interesting findings emerged: Fear of death was more likely among those who felt guilty about having HIV or viewed their infection as a punishment but less likely among those who read the Bible frequently, attended church regularly, or stated that God was their purpose in life.

Those patients who believed in God's forgiveness were more likely to have discussions about resuscitation status -- indicating that religious belief played a positive role in helping them cope with suffering and address the subject of death. The researchers noted, "Belief in a God who forgives and comforts may signify an ability to accept HIV infection or premature death."

Dr. David Larson, president of the National Institute for Healthcare Research (NIHR), observed, "A disease like AIDS often creates a spiritual crisis for the patient through feelings of guilt and the belief that God is punishing the patient. This study shows that a strong religious commitment and belief in a forgiving God can help alleviate that crisis."

Because religious issues are often very important to patients with a terminal disease, the researchers emphasized that "health-care providers need to recognize patients' spiritual beliefs and incorporate them into discussions about terminal care."

1. Kaldjian, L.C., et al. "End-of-life Decisions in HIV-positive Patients: The Role of Spiritual Beliefs." AIDS. 1998; 12(1):103-107.

NIHR is rapidly becoming the nation's premiere organization researching the interface between spirituality and health. The non-profit center conducts and disseminates research on these understudied variables and communicates these data to researchers, clinicians, and the general public.