The Initiative on Health, Religion and Spirituality at Harvard: From Research to Education

Abstract

We describe the formation of the Initiative on Health, Religion, and Spirituality at Harvard University including the teaching, research, and institutional efforts at both the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Medical School. A course has been offered on Religion and Public Health every second year at the School of Public Health and training programs for medical students, school of public health students, and residents are in place. Numerous students have been involved in the initiative’s research projects. The initiative has also hosted numerous seminar series and conferences on religion, spirituality and health, and numerous students have participated in these as well. Research in public health has focused on religion and population health including the protective associations between religious service attendance and longevity, suicide, and depression, along with the use of longitudinal cohort studies to establish evidence for causality. Research within medicine has focused on the role of religion, spirituality, and spiritual care in end of life settings for patients, physicians, nurses, and clergy. The future goals of the program include establishing a stronger institutional base throughout Harvard University; sustained research, teaching, and training, and permanent funding for this; and broad influence on public health and medical teaching and practice within the United States and worldwide.