#Atheist doctors more likely to care for poor over religious ones

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Topic:	Religions > Atheism
User:	"3647 Dead"
Date:	31 Jul 2007 01:47:33 PM
Object:	#Atheist doctors more likely to care for poor over religious ones

http://pressesc.com/news/80931072007/atheist-doctors-more-likely-care-poor-religious-ones
Atheist doctors more likely to care for the poor than religious ones
Submitted by Vidura Panditaratne on Tue, 2007-07-31 12:32.
Sponsor: X-Treme Geek: USB Missile Launcher
Atheist doctors are likely to practice medicine among the
underprivileged than religious physicians, even though most religions
call on the faithful to serve the poor, according to the results of
large cross-sectional survey of US medical practitioners published in
Annals of Family Medicine.
Researchers from the University of Chicago and Yale New Haven Hospital
report that 31 percent of physicians who were more religious—as measured
by "intrinsic religiosity" as well as frequency of attendance at
religious services—practiced among the underserved, compared to 35
percent of physicians who described their religion as atheist, agnostic
or none.
"This came as both a surprise and a disappointment," study author Farr
Curlin, MD, said. "The Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist
scriptures all urge physicians to care for the poor, and the great
majority of religious physicians describe their practice of medicine as
a calling. Yet we found that religious physicians were not more likely
to report practice among the underserved than their secular colleagues."
Physicians avoid spending the bulk of their time caring for the poor as
it could mean forgoing professional prestige, free time and academic
opportunities.
They found that even though they received reduced salaries, decreased
support staff and faced constant bureaucratic interference, physicians
who care for the underprivileged receive intangible rewards in exchange,
such as a sense that they make a difference in society, have a positive
impact on the lives of large groups of patients and have aligned their
jobs with their altruistic aspirations.
Curlin and colleagues surveyed 1,820 practicing physicians from all
specialties of whom 1,144 (63%) responded.
The survey contained questions about what the researchers called
intrinsic religiosity—the extent to which individuals embrace their
religion as the "master motive that guides and gives meaning to their life."
Researchers asked physicians if they agreed or disagreed with two
statements: "I try hard to carry my religious beliefs over into all my
other dealings in life," and "My whole approach to life is based on my
religion." They were also asked how often they attended religious services.
The survey also included questions about whether the physicians
considered medicine a calling, whether their religious beliefs influence
their practice of medicine, and whether the family in which they were
raised emphasized helping those with few resources.
Physicians who strongly agreed that their religious beliefs influence
their practice of medicine were more likely to report practice among the
under-served, but, physicians who were more religious in general, as
measured by their intrinsic religiosity or their frequency of attending
religious services, were not more likely to practice among the under-served.
Even the more religious physicians who reported that their families
emphasized service to the poor and that, for them, the practice of
medicine was a calling, were no more likely to practice among the poor.
Curlin and colleagues also noted that those who identified themselves as
very spiritual, whether or not they were religious, were roughly twice
as likely to care for the under-served as those who described their
spirituality as low.
"Part of this divergence between religion and spirituality can be traced
to a rift between Christian denominations in the late-19th and
early-20th centuries," explained Curlin, who describes himself as an
orthodox Christian in the Protestant tradition.
According to the author, about a hundred years ago many of the mainline
and liberal Protestant churches began "to emphasize efforts to right
social injustices, while the more conservative churches tended to stress
doctrinal orthodoxy. Research indicates that those who consider
themselves spiritual but not so religious are more likely to be formed
in the more liberal denominations."
Policy makers and medical educators hoping to increase the physician
supply for underserved populations should take these results into
account cautiously, the authors recommended.
"No one knows how to select medical students in a way that would
actually increase the number of physicians eager to serve the
underserved," Curlin said, "but our findings suggest that admissions
officials should ignore both the general religiousness of candidates and
their professed sense of calling to medicine."
.

User: ""
Title: Re: #Atheist doctors more likely to care for poor over religious ones	05 Aug 2007 05:08:23 AM

On 31 jul, 20:47, 3647 Dead <zepp...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

http://pressesc.com/news/80931072007/atheist-doctors-more-likely-care...

Atheist doctors more likely to care for the poor than religious ones
Submitted by Vidura Panditaratne on Tue, 2007-07-31 12:32.
Sponsor: X-Treme Geek: USB Missile Launcher

Atheist doctors are likely to practice medicine among the
underprivileged than religious physicians, even though most religions
call on the faithful to serve the poor, according to the results of
large cross-sectional survey of US medical practitioners published in
Annals of Family Medicine.

Researchers from the University of Chicago and Yale New Haven Hospital
report that 31 percent of physicians who were more religious-as measured
by "intrinsic religiosity" as well as frequency of attendance at
religious services-practiced among the underserved, compared to 35
percent of physicians who described their religion as atheist, agnostic
or none.

"This came as both a surprise and a disappointment," study author Farr
Curlin, MD, said. "The Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist
scriptures all urge physicians to care for the poor, and the great
majority of religious physicians describe their practice of medicine as
a calling. Yet we found that religious physicians were not more likely
to report practice among the underserved than their secular colleagues."

Physicians avoid spending the bulk of their time caring for the poor as
it could mean forgoing professional prestige, free time and academic
opportunities.

They found that even though they received reduced salaries, decreased
support staff and faced constant bureaucratic interference, physicians
who care for the underprivileged receive intangible rewards in exchange,
such as a sense that they make a difference in society, have a positive
impact on the lives of large groups of patients and have aligned their
jobs with their altruistic aspirations.

Curlin and colleagues surveyed 1,820 practicing physicians from all
specialties of whom 1,144 (63%) responded.

The survey contained questions about what the researchers called
intrinsic religiosity-the extent to which individuals embrace their
religion as the "master motive that guides and gives meaning to their life."

Researchers asked physicians if they agreed or disagreed with two
statements: "I try hard to carry my religious beliefs over into all my
other dealings in life," and "My whole approach to life is based on my
religion." They were also asked how often they attended religious services.

The survey also included questions about whether the physicians
considered medicine a calling, whether their religious beliefs influence
their practice of medicine, and whether the family in which they were
raised emphasized helping those with few resources.

Physicians who strongly agreed that their religious beliefs influence
their practice of medicine were more likely to report practice among the
under-served, but, physicians who were more religious in general, as
measured by their intrinsic religiosity or their frequency of attending
religious services, were not more likely to practice among the under-served.

Even the more religious physicians who reported that their families
emphasized service to the poor and that, for them, the practice of
medicine was a calling, were no more likely to practice among the poor.

Curlin and colleagues also noted that those who identified themselves as
very spiritual, whether or not they were religious, were roughly twice
as likely to care for the under-served as those who described their
spirituality as low.

"Part of this divergence between religion and spirituality can be traced
to a rift between Christian denominations in the late-19th and
early-20th centuries," explained Curlin, who describes himself as an
orthodox Christian in the Protestant tradition.

According to the author, about a hundred years ago many of the mainline
and liberal Protestant churches began "to emphasize efforts to right
social injustices, while the more conservative churches tended to stress
doctrinal orthodoxy. Research indicates that those who consider
themselves spiritual but not so religious are more likely to be formed
in the more liberal denominations."

Policy makers and medical educators hoping to increase the physician
supply for underserved populations should take these results into
account cautiously, the authors recommended.

"No one knows how to select medical students in a way that would
actually increase the number of physicians eager to serve the
underserved," Curlin said, "but our findings suggest that admissions
officials should ignore both the general religiousness of candidates and
their professed sense of calling to medicine."

I wonder if this would also be the case in te Tjech Republic
In the US being religious mean being standard
and it might be that people are only religious for that reason.
Not being interested in the teachings of Jesus whatsoever.
Of course we have the "fundamentalists" who seem to think slavery
should be restored and women's rights should be abolished. But I
gather they cannot be identified within this research. (would that be
on purpous?)
Peter van Velzen
August 5, 2007
Amstelveen
The Netherlands
.

User: "Michael Gray"
Title: Re: #Atheist doctors more likely to care for poor over religious ones	31 Jul 2007 10:25:57 PM

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:47:33 GMT, 3647 Dead <zepppwp@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

Unlike that hideous xtian *****, Mother Theresa, who liked her victims
to suffer as much as possible.
.

User: "Michelle Malkin"
Title: Re: #Atheist doctors more likely to care for poor over religious ones	01 Aug 2007 12:09:37 AM

"Michael Gray" <mikegray@newsguy.com> wrote in message
news:b8vva3h43ch7a5qusfiluammqod0dprhjp@4ax.com...

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:47:33 GMT, 3647 Dead <zepppwp@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

Unlike that hideous xtian *****, Mother Theresa, who liked her victims
to suffer as much as possible.

While she had a private plane and the best medical care
possible.
.

User: "johac"
Title: Re: #Atheist doctors more likely to care for poor over religious ones	02 Aug 2007 12:05:38 AM

In article <vIGdneNou5XiiC3bnZ2dnUVZ_rKtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:

"Michael Gray" <mikegray@newsguy.com> wrote in message
news:b8vva3h43ch7a5qusfiluammqod0dprhjp@4ax.com...

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:47:33 GMT, 3647 Dead <zepppwp@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

Unlike that hideous xtian *****, Mother Theresa, who liked her victims
to suffer as much as possible.

While she had a private plane and the best medical care
possible.

She needed the plane so she could get around the world and tell more
people they had to suffer. Of course that didn't apply to her.
And the want to make her a 'saint'.
--
John #1782
"We should always be disposed to believe that which appears to us to be
white is really black, if the hierarchy of the church so decides."
- Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Founder of the Jesuit Order.
.

User: "Michelle Malkin"
Title: Re: #Atheist doctors more likely to care for poor over religious ones	02 Aug 2007 02:35:24 AM

"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-22AF37.22053801082007@news.giganews.com...

In article <vIGdneNou5XiiC3bnZ2dnUVZ_rKtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:

"Michael Gray" <mikegray@newsguy.com> wrote in message
news:b8vva3h43ch7a5qusfiluammqod0dprhjp@4ax.com...

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:47:33 GMT, 3647 Dead <zepppwp@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

Unlike that hideous xtian *****, Mother Theresa, who liked her victims
to suffer as much as possible.

While she had a private plane and the best medical care
possible.

She needed the plane so she could get around the world and tell more
people they had to suffer. Of course that didn't apply to her.

She also used the plane to trick people out of
more money that she didn't use for her patients.

And they want to make her a 'saint'.

Maybe it's taking so long because it's difficult to
turn a demon into a saint.
--
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
Michelle Malkin (Mickey) aa list#1
BAAWA Knight & Bible Thumper Thumper
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
When fascism comes to America, it will be
wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross -
Sinclair Lewis

--
John #1782

"We should always be disposed to believe that which appears to us to be
white is really black, if the hierarchy of the church so decides."

- Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Founder of the Jesuit Order.

User: "johac"
Title: Re: #Atheist doctors more likely to care for poor over religious ones	02 Aug 2007 05:47:34 PM

In article <75GdnUS6J-O6FCzbnZ2dnUVZ_hKdnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote: