Your Health: A Sacred Matter

The relationship between religious faith and medical treatment is explored in Gerald Krell’s documentary, which begins and concludes with ceremonies: the White Coat Ceremony at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, marking the official entry of medical students into training, and the graduation celebration at the George Washington University School of Medicine, in which the Hippocratic Oath is recited. In between, Your Health is divided into two parts, the first concentrating on the need for sensitivity on the part of physicians dealing with patients of different (or no) faith systems, while also discussing studies suggesting that religious belief can be a positive factor in encouraging hope in time of illness. The section concludes with the question of whether clergy should take a greater role in the religious component of treatment, following a pediatric chaplain in her rounds to provide insight. The second part begins with a historical sketch of the development of hospital facilities in America—many started by religious denominations—and discusses the importance of culturally sensitive care, using as examples a Navajo medical practitioner and the expectations of Muslim patients. It then turns to the role of caregivers, spotlighting an innovative program in parish-nursing while also looking at the particular demands of hospice care and rehabilitative practice. While the wide range of subjects makes for some awkward transitions, overall Your Health: A Sacred Matter offers a broad and quite well-balanced survey on a significant subject. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)