Charity care not tied to faith beliefs

The findings are among a growing body of research exploring physicians' link between medicine and religion.

By Damon Adams, AMNews staff. Aug. 20, 2007.

Physicians who consider themselves religious are not more likely to care for the poor than doctors with no religious affiliation, according to a new study.

Researchers are shocked by the discovery, because religious doctors were more likely to view medical practice as a calling and their faith calls on them to serve the poor. Of the 1,144 physicians surveyed nationwide, 31% of doctors who are more religious said they practiced medicine among the underserved. That's four percentage points lower than the 35% of doctors who said they had no religious affiliation.

"The most religious are no more likely to care for the underserved than are the least religious. That to me was both a surprise and a disappointment," said lead author Farr A. Curlin, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago.

The study in the July/August Annals of Family Medicine is the latest to provide a picture of the impact of a doctor's religious beliefs on medical care.

Studies have shown that some physicians said their religious beliefs influence their medical practice and that many doctors said such beliefs help patients cope.

Research also found that many doctors do not feel obligated to inform patients about medical procedures to which they personally object morally.

The Christian Medical & Dental Assns. surveyed some of its members on serving the poor. It found a high level of spiritual commitment is a positive influence for physicians to care for the underserved, and some members serve one week or more each year treating the poor in developing countries.