For Immediate Release November 28, 2005

For More Information Contact: Diane Brown, 317-274-7711 habrown@iupui.edu

Pastoral Visits Linked to Better Coping, Recovery among Bypass Patients

INDIANAPOLIS - As heart disease continues to be a major cause of death in the United States, coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) has become a common and effective treatment for some patients. A recent study suggests that visits from a hospital chaplain can impact coping mechanisms that are linked to better recovery among CABG patients.

The study, sponsored by Clarian Health Partners' Cardiovascular Care Center, and funded by the Evans Center Values Fund for Religious and Spiritual Integration , is the topic of discussion for the Dec. 6 Seminar in Medical Humanities and Bioethics at IUPUI.

Paul S. Bay, cardiovascular care chaplain at Clarian Health Partners, Methodist campus, will present "A Randomized Controlled Study of the Effect of Chaplain Interventions on Anxiety, Depression, Hope and Religious Coping in the CABG Patient" from noon to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 6 in Room 301-02 of the IUPUI medical library.

Bay and several collaborators studied 166 patients and found that patients who received pastoral visits experienced a significant increase in positive religious coping, and also expressed a decrease in negative religious coping.

Negative religious coping includes spiritual discontentment, and seeing sickness as a demonic attack, or a punishment from God for a lack of devotion. Positive religious coping includes perceiving God as a source of strength and love; and seeking God's help in resolving anger and forgiveness.

In other studies positive religious coping has been tied to fewer symptoms of psychological stress, which in turn, is linked with better recovery among patients. Negative religious coping is linked to depression and a poorer quality of life which contribute to decreased physical health, according to previous studies.

The seminar is sponsored by the medical humanities program in the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI in conjunction with the Indiana University Center for Bioethics.

A light lunch will be served. The event is open to the public, but space is limited. To reserve a space, call Kelly at (317) 278-1669, or e-mail medicalhumanities@gmail.com.

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