Are We Talking the Same Language? Results of an International Delphi Study Evaluating Cross-Disciplinary Consensus of the RHIBS Taxonomy.
Riya Patel, PhD, Assistant Professor, Coventry University
Background: Increasing development of religiously integrated interventions for health in a wide variety of physical and emotional conditions call for a clear classification of the effective religious components. To date no such taxonomy for religious health interventions has been developed and consequently specific religious components, their meanings and plausible mechanisms by which they affect health are often unclear. Additionally, overlapping components within health interventions make it difficult to differentiate what is an emotional or spiritual practice from what is an act of religious faith or belief in a higher power. We have developed an empirically-derived taxonomy that clearly defines the religious practice, the rationale for use with specific health condition, the context in which it is used or delivered, and the meaning it holds for participants who engage with this religious practice through healthcare interventions.
Aim: To reach international consensus on the first version of an empirically-derived taxonomy of religious practices in health interventions.
Methods: Taxonomy development: A systematic review of systematic reviews, intervention studies and their associated qualitative explorations to identify studies of religiously-integrated-health-interventions. We coded intervention descriptions to develop a prototype taxonomy. We have developed an empirically-derived taxonomy that clearly defines a religious practice, the rationale for its use in relation to specific health conditions, the context in which it can be used or delivered, the religions such practices have been affiliated with and the meaning it holds for participants who engage with this religious practice through healthcare interventions. Within the taxonomy we also provide examples of how the practices have been used.
Delphi Exercise: An international panel of experts will review the taxonomy and reach consensus on its content.
Results: Work is not yet complete, but we expect to present the findings of the Delphi Exercise by the time of conference.
Implications: A taxonomy that identifies active ingredients within religiously integrated health interventions will advance the fields of psychology of religion and health by supporting the development of future religious health interventions, facilitating evidence synthesis, determining the importance of religious components and understanding mechanisms of action.
Funding acknowledgment: John Templeton Foundation ID #61188.
Aim: To reach international consensus on the first version of an empirically-derived taxonomy of religious practices in health interventions.
Methods: Taxonomy development: A systematic review of systematic reviews, intervention studies and their associated qualitative explorations to identify studies of religiously-integrated-health-interventions. We coded intervention descriptions to develop a prototype taxonomy. We have developed an empirically-derived taxonomy that clearly defines a religious practice, the rationale for its use in relation to specific health conditions, the context in which it can be used or delivered, the religions such practices have been affiliated with and the meaning it holds for participants who engage with this religious practice through healthcare interventions. Within the taxonomy we also provide examples of how the practices have been used.
Delphi Exercise: An international panel of experts will review the taxonomy and reach consensus on its content.
Results: Work is not yet complete, but we expect to present the findings of the Delphi Exercise by the time of conference.
Implications: A taxonomy that identifies active ingredients within religiously integrated health interventions will advance the fields of psychology of religion and health by supporting the development of future religious health interventions, facilitating evidence synthesis, determining the importance of religious components and understanding mechanisms of action.
Funding acknowledgment: John Templeton Foundation ID #61188.