THE IMPACT OF AQUATIC REHABILITATION ASSOCIATED TO THE PRAYER ON THE FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE OF POST-STROKE PACIENTS
THE IMPACT OF AQUATIC REHABILITATION ASSOCIATED TO THE PRAYER ON THE FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE OF POST-STROKE PACIENTS
ABDALA, Gina Andrade ; LOPES, Jaqueline ; LIRA, Mônica Rouze ; OLIVEIRA, Alberto Manoel Sarkis
INTRODUCTION: Religious commitment is consistently associated with better health. Across the board, in groups of different ages, ethnicities, and religions, among patients with very different diseases and conditions, religious commitment brings with it a lifetime of benefits. After a stroke, the patients suffer from sensitive, cognitive, mental and especially motor changing, leading to an isolation and depression. They can take profit from the spiritual dimension, where the prayer can bring benefits to the mental and physical health.
AIMS: This study analyzes the repercussions of the aquatic rehabilitation associated to the prayer on the functional performance of post-stroke patients.
METHODS: Clinical trial nonrandom sample occurred at the Adventist Clinic of Bahia in 2008, with a sample of eight individuals. They had been divided in 2 groups and submitted the same protocol of aquatic treatment, except for the experimental group who participated of a prayer’s moment before the treatment. This study was submitted to the Ethical Research Committee and was approved.
RESULTS: In this study, the control group achieved in the beginning 20 seconds to climb 6 steps, and 19.22 seconds in the end, which meant 3.9% of performance. The experimental group reached in the beginning 24.19 seconds to climb the steps and 22.28 seconds in the end, performing a better result of 7.9%. With regard to the functional performance, the experimental group got better results (50%). In the spirituality issue, it was observed that 100% of the sample affirmed that they would like the health professionals could pray in their favor.
CONCLUSION: There is growing evidence from systematic research that religious beliefs and practices are related to better mental health, better physical health, and less need for health services. It is necessary to have more and more clinical trial in order to have best evidences and a strong association between prayer and health. Prayer is not better than modern medicine. Prayer, medications, and surgery – they are all a blessing, a grace, a gift. Why not use all of them, with reverence and gratitude?
REFERENCES:
DOSSEY, Lary. Prayer is Good Medicine. New York: Harper San Francisco, 1997.
BENSON, Herbert.; STARK, Marg. Timeless Healing: the power and biology of belief. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
STRAWBRIDGE, W. J. et al. Frequent attendance at religious services and mortality over 28 years. American Journal of Public Health, v. 87, n. 1, p. 957-961, 1997.
KING, D. E.; BUSHWICK, B. Beliefs and attitudes of hospital inpatients about faith healing and prayer. Journal of Family and Practice, [S.l] v. 39, p. 349-352, 1994.
Key words: prayer, stroke, aquatic rehabilitation.
