Table 2 Attitudes concerning the “screening” spiritual history
Physicians | Mid-level Practitioners | Nurses, Other Health Professionals & Staff | |
|---|---|---|---|
(n = 427) | (n = 93) | (n = 217) | |
% (n) | % (n) | % (n) | |
Should health professionals do a screening spiritual history (SH)?2 | |||
Not at all/slight/some | 27.7 (117) | 22.6 (21) | 18.3 (39) ** |
Moderate | 27.2 (115) | 24.7 (23) | 26.3 (56) |
Quite a bit/very much | 45.2 (191) | 52.7 (49) | 55.4 (118) |
Which health professional should do it?3 | |||
Physician | 41.8 (175) | 29.4 (27) | 55.1 (118) **** |
Nurse or med assistant | 33.9 (142) | 31.5 (29) | 17.8 (38) |
Other (staff) | 24.3 (102) | 39.1 (36) | 27.1 (58) |
How many questions should screening SH consist of? 2 | |||
One or two | 27.5 (115) | 22.6 (21) | 14.30 (31) *** |
Three | 49.9 (209) | 49.5 (46) | 56.2 (122) |
Four, five or six | 22.7 (95) | 28.0 (26) | 29.5 (64) |
Patients most often respond to screening SH with: 2 | |||
Resistance | 1.7 (7) | 2.2 (2) | 4.4 (9) **** |
Puzzlement/indifference | 25.5 (103) | 28.9 (26) | 39.8 (82) |
Acceptance/appreciation | 72.8 (294) | 68.9 (62) | 55.8 (115) |
On what kinds of patients should SH be done? (% yes)1, 3 | |||
All outpatients (OP) | 46.0 (193) | 52.8 (47) | 59.0 (125) ** |
OP during well-visit | 57.6 (240) | 69.7 (62) | 50.0 (106) ** |
OP with chronic illness | 76.0 (317) | 73.0 (65) | 75.0 (159) |
OP with terminal illness | 80.1 (334) | 82.0 (73) | 82.6 (175) |
All inpatients (IP) admitted | 66.0 (275) | 71.9 (64) | 67.0 (142) |
IP with chronic illness | 71.9 (300) | 74.2 (66) | 72.6 (154) |
IP with acute serious illness | 72.9 (304) | 75.3 (67) | 74.5 (158) |
IP with terminal illness | 79.1 (330) | 79.8 (71) | 79.7 (169) |
What should health professional do with spiritual history? (% yes)1, 3 | |||
Document in medical record | 69.3 (293) | 76.3 (71) | 68.2 (146) |
Be aware of, not document | 23.4 (99) | 17.2 (16) | 22.4 (48) |
Refer to chaplain | 82.3 (349) | 90.3 (84) | 91.2 (196) ** |
Contact patient’s clergy | 35.7 (151) | 39.8 (37) | 30.8 (66) |
Contact social worker | 39.4 (167) | 46.2 (43) | 30.2 (65)* |
Address spiritual needs | 50.4 (213) | 44.1 (41) | 41.1 (88) |