Follow-up study of 67 first episode schizophrenic patients and their involvement in religious activities

Spirituality and Suicidality Among Patients with Schizophrenia: A Cross-sectional Study from Nigeria

Studies which have explored the effect of spirituality on suicidality among patients with schizophrenia have been characterized by inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between spirituality and suicidality among stable patients with schizophrenia in Nigeria. The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale was applied to measure spirituality. There was found a significant relationship between spirituality and having had suicidal thoughts in a lifetime. Spirituality was negatively correlated with the severity of negative symptoms, total positive and negative syndrome scale score (PANSS), the severity of depression, and positively correlated with functioning.

Does religiosity in persons with schizophrenia influence medication adherence

BACKGROUND

Little information is available regarding the effect of religiosity and spirituality on medication adherence in patients with schizophrenia.

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the association of medication adherence with different aspects of religiosity and spirituality in patients with schizophrenia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred patients with schizophrenia were evaluated on religiousness measure scale and Duke Religion Index (DUREL); Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE); World Health Organization Quality of Life Spirituality, Religiosity, and Personal Beliefs (WHOQoL-SRPB); and Brief Adherence Rating Scale (BARS).

RESULTS

A higher level of religiosity as assessed by the religiousness measure scale, private religious activities and intrinsic religiosity as per DUREL, positive religious coping, and all the domains of WHOQOL-SRPB was associated with better medication compliance as assessed by the percentage of doses of medications consumed in the last 1 month as evaluated by using BARS.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that a higher level of religiosity and spirituality were associated with better medication compliance.

Religion, spirituality, and schizophrenia: a review

Religion and spirituality exert a significant role in the lives of many individuals, including people with schizophrenia. However, the contribution of religion and spirituality to various domains (psychopathology, explanatory models, treatment seeking, treatment adherence, outcome, etc.) has not received much attention. In this article, we review the exiting data with regards to the relationship of religion, spirituality, and various domains in patients with schizophrenia. Available evidence suggests that for some patients, religion instills hope, purpose, and meaning in their lives, whereas for others, it induces spiritual despair. Patients with schizophrenia also exhibit religious delusions and hallucinations. Further, there is some evidence to suggest that religion influences the level of psychopathology. Religion and religious practices also influence social integration, risk of suicide attempts, and substance use. Religion and spirituality also serves as an effective method of coping with the illness. Religion also influences the treatment compliance and outcome in patients with schizophrenia.

The interactions between religion, religiosity, religious delusion/hallucination, and treatment-seeking behavior among schizophrenic patients in Taiwan

Religion could influence the psychopathology, treatment-seeking behavior, and treatment outcome in schizophrenia, but the associations between these factors have never been explored thoroughly, and the data in Han-Chinese society are scarcer still. The current study recruited 55 schizophrenic patients to explore the relationship between religion, psychopathology with religious content, treatment-seeking behavior, and outcome. Subjects with religious delusions/hallucinations had lower scores on functioning and higher scores on religiosity. The higher religiosity scores were correlated with older age, longer duration of illness, religious affiliation, lower preference of psychiatric treatment, lower functioning score, and delusion/hallucination. As to treatment-seeking behavior, patients with religious affiliation showed less preference toward psychiatric treatment. Individuals with religious delusion/hallucination were more likely to receive magico-religious healing and not to be satisfied with psychiatric treatment. A more positive view of psychiatric treatment was predicted by lower religiosity score, higher satisfaction with psychiatric treatment, and lower years of education. The religiosity level seems not directly related to clinical severity, but it seems to be a better predictor of religious delusions/hallucinations than religious affiliation status. Patients with religious delusions/hallucinations did not necessarily have more severe psychopathology. There are different profiles associated with religious affiliation/religiosity and religious delusions/hallucinations in relation to treatment-seeking behavior among schizophrenia patients in Han-Chinese society.

Association of religion with delusions and hallucinations in the context of schizophrenia: implications for engagement and adherence

OBJECTIVE

The relationship of religion and schizophrenia is widely acknowledged, but often minimized by practitioners and under investigated by researchers. In striving to help fill this gap, this paper focuses on examining four aims: 1) how research has investigated the association between religiosity and schizophrenia; 2) how is religiosity associated with delusions and hallucinations; 3) what are the risk and protective factors associated with religiosity and schizophrenia; and 4) does religion influence treatment adherence with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.

METHODS

A systematic literature search of PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases from January 1, 1980 through January 1, 2010 was conducted using the terms schizophrenia, schizoaffective, schizophreniform, psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) and religion, religiosity, spirituality, or faith. Seventy (n=70) original research studies were identified.

RESULTS

Religion can act as both a risk and protective factor as it interacts with the schizophrenia symptoms of hallucination and delusions. Cultural influences tend to confound the association of religion and schizophrenia. Adherence to treatment has a mixed association with religiosity.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between religion and schizophrenia may be of benefit to both clinicians and researchers through enhancing adherence to treatment, and enhancement of the protective aspects while minimizing associated risk. The relationship of religion and schizophrenia needs further research that is more nuanced and methodologically rigorous, specifically concerning its influence on engagement and adherence to treatment.

Religious beliefs in schizophrenia: their relevance for adherence to treatment

The study examined how religious beliefs and practices impact upon medication and illness representations in chronic schizophrenia. One hundred three stabilized patients were included in Geneva's outpatient public psychiatric facility in Switzerland. Interviews were conducted to investigate spiritual and religious beliefs and religious practices and religious coping. Medication adherence was assessed through questions to patients and to their psychiatrists and by a systematic blood drug monitoring. Thirty-two percent of patients were partially or totally nonadherent to oral medication. Fifty-eight percent of patients were Christians, 2% Jewish, 3% Muslim, 4% Buddhist, 14% belonged to various minority or syncretic religious movements, and 19% had no religious affiliation. Two thirds of the total sample considered spirituality as very important or even essential in everyday life. Fifty-seven percent of patients had a representation of their illness directly influenced by their spiritual beliefs (positively in 31% and negatively in 26%). Religious representations of illness were prominent in nonadherent patients. Thirty-one percent of nonadherent patients and 27% of partially adherent patients underlined an incompatibility or contradiction between their religion and taking medication, versus 8% of adherent patients. Religion and spirituality contribute to shaping representations of disease and attitudes toward medical treatment in patients with schizophrenia. This dimension should be on the agenda of psychiatrists working with patients with schizophrenia.