G'day!
One of the other problems with the evidence on this question is what is the purpose of the intervention, and who are the potential recipients of benefit/harm. Praying, especially in extremis, is often recommended as an intervention for the pray-er, not the pray-ee. As such, it may well be an effective (or ineffective or harmful) intervention in alleviating family/carer distress.
Hilda
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Hilda Bastian
Ressortleiterin Gesundheitsinformation
Chefredakteurin: www.gesundheitsinformation.de
Head of Health Information Department
Editor-in-Chief, www.gesundheitsinformation.de
Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen
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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Evidence based health (EBH) [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im Auftrag von Jim McManus
Gesendet: Dienstag, 11. April 2006 12:05
An: [log in to unmask]
Betreff: Re: Evidence for faith based interventions
As someone trained first in theology then in public health I agree - going down the line of proving prayer as an intervention seems to me to be missing the point
Jim
Jim McManus
Public Health Specialist
Barking & Dagenham Primary Care Trust
The Clock House
East Street
Barking
IG11 8EY
Direct Tel:020 8532 6359
Fax: 020 8532 6201
Phonetext: 020 8532 6230
>>> Joe Matthews <[log in to unmask]> 10/04/2006 20:07 >>>
I think the issue of researching intercessory prayer is an example of confused epistemologies. If we were to accept that the only reason for the research was to test the effect of prayer on surgical outcome a clinical trial could be appropriate. On the other hand, if we are really looking to query the existence of God then the research changes dramatically. The characteristics of a clinical question determine the most appropriate study design and methodology. In this case I suspect the study is more (or less) than advertised and it suffers from fundamental biases.
If we want to study the existence and characteristics of God, RCT's are unlikely to satisfy skeptics or believers. If we are convinced that we are truly testing the efficacy of prayer then we have failed to appropriately consider who we're dealing with. How we know what we know changes with the question and why it was asked.
Joseph Matthews, DDS
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Surgery
University of New Mexico, USA
-----Original Message-----
From: Philip Hall <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 12:15:12 -0500
Subject: Re: Evidence for faith based interventions
,,,at a cost of ~$24 million USD!
Philip F. Hall, MD
Prof., U of Manitoba,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Philip F. Hall, MD BScMed FRCSC
Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba
Director, Fetal Assessment, Manitoba Obstetric Outreach and
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Programs
President of Medical Staff
St.Boniface General Hospital, 409 Tache Avenue D2044
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R2H 2A6
ph 204-237-2547 FAX 204-233-1751
(Past Chair, Obs & Gyn Specialty Committee,
Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada)
<www.umanitoba.ca/womens_health>
>>> Jim Walker <[log in to unmask]> 4/10/2006 10:28 AM >>>
This intervention has nothing but the name in common with intercessory
prayer as it is practiced and experienced in the traditions that I know
of. This is a wonderful example of the act of observation changing the
nature of the thing observed.
Jim
James M. Walker, MD
Chief Medical Information Officer
Geisinger Health System
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