Seminary Students and Physical Health: Beliefs, Behaviors, and Barriers

Johnston, EF (通讯作者),Duke Univ, Duke Global Hlth Inst, 310 Trent Dr, Durham, NC 27708 USA.
2022-4
As an occupational group, clergy exhibit numerous physical health problems. Given the physical health problems faced by clergy, understanding where physical health falls within the priorities of seminary students, the ways students conceptualize physical health, and how seminary students do or do not attend to their physical health in the years immediately prior to becoming clergy, can inform intervention development for both seminary students and clergy. Moreover, understanding and shaping the health practices of aspiring clergy may be particularly impactful, with cascading effects, as clergy serve as important role models for their congregants. Drawing on 36 in-depth, qualitative interviews with first-year seminary students, this study examines the complex dynamics between religious frameworks related to physical health, explicit intentions to maintain healthy practices, and reported physical health behaviors. Our findings suggest that even students who deploy religious frameworks in relation to their physical health-and who, as a result, possess positive intentions to implement and maintain healthy behaviors-often report being unable to live up to their aspirations, especially in the face of barriers to health practices posed by the seminary program itself. After reviewing these findings, we offer suggestions for physical health focused interventions, including action and coping planning, which could be implemented at seminaries to reduce the intention-behavior gap and improve clergy health.
JOURNAL OF RELIGION & HEALTH
卷号:61|期号:2|页码:1207-1225
ISSN:0022-4197|收录类别:SSCI
语种
英语
来源机构
Duke University; Duke University
资助机构
Rural Church Area of The Duke Endowment
资助信息
This research was supported by a Grant from the Rural Church Area of The Duke Endowment.
被引频次(WOS)
1
被引频次(其他)
1
180天使用计数
1
2013以来使用计数
1
EISSN
1573-6571
出版年
2022-4
DOI
10.1007/s10943-021-01480-7
学科领域
循证公共卫生
关键词
Seminary Clergy Physical health Intention-behavior gap Action planning Qualitative methods Students
WOS学科分类
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Religion