Health, religion and culture: a dialogue based on Afro-Brazilian customs

Abstract

Resulting from a qualitative study of ethnographic characteristics, with participatory observation in an Afro-Brazilian religious temple located in a neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, this investigation attempts to understand the relationship between religion, health, and the healing process, trying to comprehend the ways in which individuals experience illness, suffering, pain, and healing practices. Since the biomedical health model is unable to cope with the complexity of existing health problems, there is a greater interest in the way that social sciences can be applied to the medical field, allowing greater attention to be paid to patients, as well as to the integration of biological, social, and cultural understanding of disease. This approach reinforces the dynamic relationship between religion and health. A fundamental effect of religion is to alter the meaning of disease for the sufferer, not necessarily implying the removal of symptoms, but a positive change regarding the potential outcomes of the disease. Religion gives meaning to life when one is suffering, creating a network of social support. We have found that religious worship supplements official medical practice. The information collected allows us to confirm that religion provides a place of refuge, health, and healing for those in need. We note the necessity for further research that can be added to existing biomedical studies, so that people have a greater chance of being helped during the healing process.