The Link between Religion and Health: Psychoneuroimmunology and the Faith Factor

by Harold G. Koenig (Editor), Harvey J. Cohen (Editor)

Overview

This book is the first to present new medical research establishing a connection between religion and health and to examine the implications for Eastern and Western religious traditions and for society and culture. The distinguished list of contributors examine a series of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) topics that relate to religious faith and behavior. PNI studies the relationships between mental states and the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Among the issues it focuses upon are how mental states, in general, and belief states, in particular, affect physical health. The contributors argue that religious involvement and belief can affect certain neuroendocrine and immune mechanisms, and that these mechanisms, in turn, susceptibility to cancer and recovery following surgery. This volume is essential reading for those interested in the relationship between religion and health.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198032816
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	01/17/2002
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Lexile:	1510L (what's this?)
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

both at Duke University Medical Center

Table of Contents

ContributorsIntroduction, Harold G. Koenig and Harvey Jay Cohen1. The Connection between Psychoneuroimmunology and Religion, Harold G. Koenig2. The Development and History of Psychoneuroimmunology, George F. Solomon3. Understanding How Stress Affects the Physical Body, Bruce S. Rabin4. Stress, Natural Killer Cells, and Cancer, Ronald B. Herberman5. Psychosocial Interventions and Prognosis in Cancer, David Spiegel and Fawzy I. Fawzy6. Psychosocial Stress, Social Networks, and Susceptibility to Infection, Sheldon Cohen7. Psychosocial Factors, Immunity, and Wound Healing, Harold G. Koenig and Harvey Jay Cohen8. Psychosocial Factors, Spirituality/Religiousness, and Immune Function in HIV/AIDS Patients, Gail Ironson and Neil Schneiderman Patients9. Hostility, Neuroendocrine Changes, and Health Outcomes, Redford B. Williams10. Psychological Stress and Autoimmune Disease, Harold G. Koenig and Harvey Jay Cohen11. Immune, Neuroendocrine, and Religious Measures, Bruce S. Rabin and Harold G. Koenig12. Psychoneuroimmunology and Eastern Religious Traditions, Paul J. Griffiths13. Psychoneuroimmunology and Western Religious Traditions, Warren S. Brown14. Psychoneuroimmunology and Religion: Implications for Society and Culture, Howard L. Kaye15. Avenues for Future Research, Harvey Jay Cohen and Harold G. KoenigConclusions, Harold G. KoenigIndex