Question | If praying for other people improves your chances of survival with a long-term illness, but only if you pray for people you know, how do community ties influence spiritual coping?
A new study from the Journal of Religion and Health found that people with HIV who prayed for other people that they knew were twice as likely to survive over 17 years compared to those who did not pray for people they knew.
New project idea | Religious/spiritual practices following hospitalization and activation of outpatient care among underserved patients
By investigating lived experience from underserved patients’ perspectives, I expect to better grasp how hospitalization influences access and use of religious/spiritual practices that underserved patients engaged prior to being hospitalized; understanding these influences and changes might make a difference in the strategies employed to support underserved patients with religious/spiritual needs in their coping.
Paper | “Nobody Wants to Talk About It, Especially in This Building”: A Qualitative Study of How People Living in Permanent Supportive Housing Approach End-Of-Life Care
Permanent supportive housing (PSH) is long-term affordable housing with onsite social services. This qualitative study examines the goals, desires, and expectations for end-of-life care (EOLC) for people living in PSH.
Dissertation | “How Connected is This Heart?”: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Women of Color with Heart Disease
Religion/spirituality may be as complex a characteristic as race, culture, age, sexuality, gender, or socioeconomic status. Yet, religion/spirituality is not frequently included in sociological analysis with these other factors. For Women of Color who are dealing with chronic conditions, such as heart disease, religion/spirituality is both a health resource and an important facet of daily life.
Rev. Dr. Megan Visser
meganruthvisser@gmail.com
Rev. Dr. Megan Ruth Visser 