Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 24: Highlighting the relationship between spirituality and health which has been of longstanding interest in the health, social, and behavioural sciences, Dr. Sushil Sharma today conducted a day long camp at Sant Balak Yogeshwar Ji Ashram, Pouni (Reasi). More than 1000 people were screened, evaluated and diagnosed for various health ailments. Free medicine were also given as per the requirements.
“In the health and medical sciences, there is growing recognition that religious and spiritual concerns are important for understanding health-related behaviours, attitudes, and beliefs and are particularly important for persons whose health is compromised. In the area of clinical practice, several renowned hospitals and health care centres have initiated programs incorporating religious/spiritual approaches and content as complements to standard treatment regimens, and a number of medical and nursing schools have begun to incorporate these issues into their curriculums,” Dr Sharma said.
He pointed out that numerous epidemiological and clinical studies supports the impact of religious affiliation and involvement on a diverse array of mental and physical health indicators and disease states. “Religious factors have a beneficial influence on a diverse set of outcomes, including depression, drug and alcohol use, delinquent behaviour, suicide, psychological distress, and certain functional psychiatric diagnoses. Religious factors are associated with lower levels of behavioural risk such as alcohol use and higher levels of health-promoting behaviours (e.g. diet and exercise) among adolescents,” he added.
He maintained that religious strategies may be particularly important for coping with mental and physical illness and disability.
“Religious institutions and clergy often function as gatekeepers for individual help-seeking behaviours and health care utilization, particularly among poor and disenfranchised populations. Further, religious injunctions may shape interpersonal behaviours and attitudes toward others in ways that emphasize a variety of positive and pro-social goals (e.g. interpersonal warmth and friendliness, love, compassion, harmony, tolerance, and forgiveness) and that reduce the likelihood of noxious and stressful interpersonal interactions. Religious ritual e.g. prayer, communion, and confession is important for instilling positive emotional states e.g. joy and ecstatic experiences and/or generating more global beliefs and worldviews that are associated with better health e.g. optimism and forgiveness. Finally, the use of religion to promote individual and community healing i.e. restorative activities has been associated with the experience of strong, positive emotions regarding the self, such as feelings of self-worth, competence, and connection with others”, he added.
Others, who were part of check up include Dr Nasir Ali Choudhary ( Cardiologist), Dr Pooran Chand, Dr Dhaneshwar Kapoor and Dr Saqib Samim. Paramedics and volunteers include Raghav Rajput, Mohd. Altaf, Gourav Heera, Davinderjit Singh, Suresh Chander Sharma, Aman Gupta, Akshay Kumar, Harvinder Singh, Maninder Singh, Amandeep Singh, Gourav Sharma, Vikas Kumar, Sandeep Kohli, Rohit Khajuria and Naveen Sharma.
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