The perception of spiritual health differences between citizens and physicians in the Czech Republic

Bibliographic Data

ID22945486
AuthorsIvo Jirásek (0000-0003-1244-5237, Department of Recreration and Leisure Studies, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, corresponding author), Emanuel Hurych (0000-0002-0657-3753, Department of Recreration and Leisure Studies, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic)
Year2018
Volume33
Issue5
Pages858-866
Publication date2018-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Promotion International (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/heapro/dax024
PMID28505323
OpenAlexW2898269400
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited22

This paper focuses on a phenomenon known as spiritual health. Although the scientific literature defines the concept of this health component (in relation to other dimensions, i.e. physical, mental and social health), there is no agreement concerning its relation to religiousness. The aim of this research is to find out the views of citizens (n = 1810) and physicians (n = 1200) in the Czech Republic on the potential dimension of health in its spiritual mode, and on the understanding of its content by those who acknowledge its existence. One of the main research findings is that physicians in the Czech Republic acknowledge the existence of spiritual health (47.0%) to a significantly greater extent than citizens of the country (26.4%). In both groups of respondents, the understanding varies in the discourse of psychology (psychiatry), theology, in the preference for harmony, and in medical care. The acknowledgement of spiritual health depends strongly on gender (women acknowledge the existence of this phenomenon more than men), religious belief (religious physicians, as well as religious citizens and members and non-members of churches and religious societies, acknowledge the existence of spiritual health significantly more compared with atheists) and education (with increasing education the proportion of citizens who acknowledge the existence of spiritual health rises considerably-the highest proportion is found in university graduates). Spiritual health is shown to be an important public health issue, even in a strongly secularized society.

Acknowledgement · Czech · Harmony (color) · Health care · Mental health · Perception · Phenomenon · Political science · Psychiatry · Public health · Secularization · Sociology · Health and Wellbeing Research · Law · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology

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