Insights: Two Paths: Religion and Psychiatry

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
Of all medical specialties, psychiatrists are the least religious, a survey has found, and the most religious doctors are the least likely to refer their patients to psychiatrists.
In addition to questions about their own beliefs, the 100 psychiatrists and 1,044 other specialists who responded to the survey were asked about their attitudes toward religion in clinical practice. For example, the survey asked doctors whether they thought it proper to ask about patients’ religious beliefs and whether they had ever prayed with a patient.
Although psychiatrists were just as likely as other physicians to report that religious beliefs influenced their practice — about half said it did — just 29 percent of psychiatrists, compared with 47 percent of other doctors, said they attended religious services more than once a month. When asked whether they described themselves as religious or spiritual, 42 percent of psychiatrists and 53 percent of other doctors said they did. About a third of psychiatrists, but almost half of other physicians, said they “look to God for strength, support, and guidance.” Psychiatrists were significantly less likely to be Protestant or Catholic and more likely to be Jewish or have no religious affiliation.
Most doctors would refer a patient to a psychiatrist for emotional problems. Protestants were about half as likely as those with no religious affiliation to do so, preferring clergy or other religious counselors.
“Religion and psychiatry are two different ways of responding, and two different ways of bringing healing,” said Dr. Farr A. Curlin, the lead author of the paper, published in the September issue of Psychiatric Services and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. “In some clinical situations, they will always be rivals.”