The epidemiology of lost meaning
A study in the psychology of religion and existential public health
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 16646151 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Cecilia Melder (University College Stockholm, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2012 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Pages | 237-258 |
| Publication date | 2012-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis (CONFERENCE) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0582-3226 • E-ISSN: 2343-4937 |
| Publisher | Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.30674/scripta.67417 |
| OpenAlex | W1550010574 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 8 |
The existential dimension of spirituality has proven to be of great importance over the last two decades when it comes to studies of self-rated health and quality of life. We see the positive effects it has on blood pressure, depression and life expectancy for chemotherapy and HIV patients, to mention just a few examples. In the public health sector, it is interesting to note that this existential/spiritual dimension had already been present in the early years when the term public health first came into the Swedish language. In the year 1926 public health was defined as ‘a people’s physical and spiritual health’. During the intervening years of major medical and scientific technical improvements in the field, the existential/spiritual perspective had been put aside, but now once again this dimension has come into focus. The central question is, how does the existential dimension of health, understood as a person’s ability to create and maintain functional meaning making systems, affect the person’s self-rated health and quality of life? The working theories and basic perspectives in this article are drawn from health research with attention to the existential dimension, public health from the perspective of the psychology of religion, and object relations theory
Alternative medicine · Epistemology · Existentialism · Life expectancy · Meaning (existential · Perspective (graphical · Population · Psychotherapist · Public health · Quality of life (healthcare · Sociology · Spirituality · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Medicine · Nursing · Philosophy · Psychology · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology
Complexities of Spiritual Care in Plural Societies
Nature-Based Therapy in Individuals with Mental Health Disorders, with a Focus on Mental Well-Being and Connectedness to Nature—A Pilot Study
Transforming Troubled Souls
Existential Issues in Old Age as Narrated by Older People-An Interview Study from Norway
Religion In Contemporary Society
Retaining the meaning of the words religiousness and spirituality
The Impact of Postmodernization on Existential Health in Sweden
A cross-cultural study of spirituality, religion, and personal beliefs as components of quality of life
Modernization, Cultural Change, and the Persistence of Traditional Values
Religion in Contemporary Society
A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Spirituality and Quality of Life
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2024 (3) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |