Typologies and Meanings of Prayer Among Patients

Religion often aids patients, but critical questions arise concerning how patients approach issues regarding prayer. In-depth interviews suggest 12 key patient decisions and aspects of prayer-who prays, to whom (e.g., explicitly to "God" or not), for whom (for self or others), for what (e.g., for symptom reduction), when (regularly or only during crisis), where, what to say (pre-specified language or spontaneous), how consciously planned or not, with what expectations and outcomes, what to call it, and in what social contexts (e.g., how others view one's prayers). These data have implications for future research, clinical practice of physicians, nurses, chaplains, and other allied healthcare providers, and patient education.