Behringer Bruce, Krishnan Koyamangalath
Office of Rural and Community Health and Community Partnerships and East Tennessee State University Cancer Center, Johnson City, TN 37604, USA.
South Med J. 2011 Apr;104(4):295-6. doi: 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e3182084108.
Religion and spirituality may influence outcomes in cancer prevention and therapy and contribute to cancer disparities in deeply religious communities like the Appalachian region of the United States. Finding a method to bridge this division is essential to reduce cancer health disparities in this population. Religious beliefs may lead patients to seek less aggressive medical care, influence them to believe that the diagnosis of cancer is a mandate from God and cannot be managed by the healthcare system, ultimately compromising outcomes and contributing to disparities in healthcare in such communities. The significant role of religion and spirituality in decision making relevant to cancer care has been reinforced through clinical experience and conversations with Appalachian focus groups. The influence needs to be recognized, emphasized and handled appropriately by healthcare providers. Physicians in practice need to be able to relate to this dimension and work with local spiritual support systems to provide both a medical and spiritual prescription for the individual's journey through cancer care or prevention approaches.
宗教和精神信仰可能会影响癌症预防和治疗的结果，并在美国阿巴拉契亚地区等笃信宗教的社区导致癌症差异。找到弥合这一差距的方法对于减少该人群中的癌症健康差异至关重要。宗教信仰可能会导致患者寻求不那么积极的医疗护理，影响他们相信癌症诊断是上帝的旨意，医疗系统无法应对，最终影响治疗结果并导致此类社区医疗保健的差异。宗教和精神信仰在与癌症护理相关的决策中的重要作用已通过临床经验以及与阿巴拉契亚焦点小组的对话得到强化。医疗保健提供者需要认识到、强调并妥善处理这种影响。执业医生需要能够理解这一方面，并与当地的精神支持系统合作，为个人在癌症护理或预防过程中提供医疗和精神方面的建议。
