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Religious Involvement and Health in Dialysis Patients in Saudi Arabia

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Abstract

Patients on hemodialysis experience considerable psychological and physical stress due to the changes brought on by chronic kidney disease. Religion is often turned to in order to cope with illness and may buffer some of these stresses associated with illness. We describe here the religious activities of dialysis patients in Saudi Arabia and determined demographic, psychosocial, and physical health correlates. We administered an in-person questionnaire to 310 dialysis patients (99.4 % Muslim) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that included the Muslim Religiosity Scale, Structured Clinical Interview for Depression, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning scale, and other established measures of psychosocial and physical health. Bivariate and multivariate analyses identified characteristics of patients who were more religiously involved. Religious practices and intrinsic religious beliefs were widespread. Religious involvement was more common among those who were older, better educated, had higher incomes, and were married. Overall psychological functioning was better and social support higher among those who were more religious. The religious also had better physical functioning, better cognitive functioning, and were less likely to smoke, despite having more severe overall illness and being on dialysis for longer than less religious patients. Religious involvement is correlated with better overall psychological functioning, greater social support, better physical and cognitive functioning, better health behavior, and longer duration of dialysis. Whether religion leads to or is a result of better mental and physical health will need to be determined by future longitudinal studies and clinical trials.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, under Grant No. (354/140/1433). The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks DSR technical and financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Faten Al Zaben, Doaa Ahmed Khalifa & Mohammad Gamal Sehlo

  2. Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Doaa Ahmed Khalifa

  3. Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

    Mohammad Gamal Sehlo

  4. Renal Dialysis Unit, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Saad Al Shohaib

  5. Department of Radiology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Salma Awad Binzaqr

  6. Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Alae Magdi Badreg & Rawan Ali Alsaadi

  7. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3400, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Harold G. Koenig

  8. King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Harold G. Koenig

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  1. Faten Al Zaben
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  2. Doaa Ahmed Khalifa
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Correspondence to Harold G. Koenig.

Appendix: Muslim Religiosity Scale

Appendix: Muslim Religiosity Scale

  1. (1)

    How often do you attend group religious services for worship and prayer at Mosque or in small group at work or in your home (obligatory prayers) (Fard)?

    1. 1.

      5 times/day

    2. 2.

      1–4 times/day

    3. 3.

      Several times/week

    4. 4.

      Several times/month

    5. 5.

      Never

  2. (2)

    How often do you pray alone in private (Nawafl)?

    1. 1.

      Never

    2. 2.

      Rarely

    3. 3.

      Occasionally

    4. 4.

      Often

    5. 5.

      Very often

  3. (3)

    Are you regular in prayer or do you sometimes sum 2 or more of your obligatory prayers (Fard) with each other or skip?

    1. 1.

      Always skip prayers

    2. 2.

      Often skip

    3. 3.

      Sometimes skip

    4. 4.

      Occasionally skip

    5. 5.

      Never skip (Regular)

  4. (4)

    How often do you read or recite the Qur’an or other religious literature (magazines, papers, books) in your home?

    1. 1.

      Not at all or rarely

    2. 2.

      During Ramadan only

    3. 3.

      Occasionally, besides Ramadan, but less than several times per week

    4. 4.

      Occasionally, besides Ramadan, but less than several times per week

    5. 5.

      Once a day or more

  5. (5)

    How often do you listen to or watch religious programs on radio or TV?

    1. 1.

      Not at all or rarely

    2. 2.

      During Ramadan only

    3. 3.

      Occasionally, besides Ramadan, but less than several times per week

    4. 4.

      Several times/wk

    5. 5.

      Once a day or more

  6. (6)

    Do you give Zakat to poor each year?

    1. 1.

      Never

    2. 2.

      Rarely

    3. 3.

      Occasionally

    4. 4.

      Often

    5. 5.

      Very often

  7. (7)

    Do you give money to poor as a free gift (not obligatory like Zakat)?

    1. 1.

      Never

    2. 2.

      Rarely

    3. 3.

      Occasionally

    4. 4.

      Often

    5. 5.

      Very often

  8. (8)

    How often do you fast from food/water (Sawm)?

    1. 1.

      Never

    2. 2.

      During Ramadan (part of month)

    3. 3.

      During Ramadan (all of month)

    4. 4.

      During Ramadan (all of month) + occasionally other times (Nawafl)

    5. 5.

      During Ramadan (all of month) + many other times (Nawafl)

  9. (9)

    How often do you make Hajj?

    1. 1.

      Never

    2. 2.

      Once

    3. 3.

      Twice

    4. 4.

      Several times, but not yearly

    5. 5.

      Yearly

  10. (10)

    How often do you make Umrah?

    1. 1.

      Never

    2. 2.

      Once

    3. 3.

      Several times

    4. 4.

      Every year

    5. 5.

      Several times per year

  11. (11)

    In my life, I experience the presence of Allah/God

    1. 1.

      Definitely true of me

    2. 2.

      Tends to be true

    3. 3.

      Unsure

    4. 4.

      Tends not to be true

    5. 5.

      Definitely not true

  12. (12)

    My religious beliefs are what really lie behind my whole approach to life

    1. 1.

      Definitely true of me

    2. 2.

      Tends to be true

    3. 3.

      Unsure

    4. 4.

      Tends not to be true

    5. 5.

      Definitely not true

  13. (13)

    I try hard to carry my religion over into all my other dealings in life

    1. 1.

      Definitely true of me

    2. 2.

      Tends to be true

    3. 3.

      Unsure

    4. 4.

      Tends not to be true

    5. 5.

      Definitely not true

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Al Zaben, F., Khalifa, D.A., Sehlo, M.G. et al. Religious Involvement and Health in Dialysis Patients in Saudi Arabia. J Relig Health 54, 713–730 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9962-8

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