Description

For sample adults in 1999, PRASPIRITYR reports whether the person had used spiritual healing or prayer for health reasons in the past 12 months. The 1999 Field Representative's Manual defined spiritual healing as "asking a higher or divine power to help heal you," but this definition was not routinely shared with respondents.

In 1999, the NHIS questions dealing with the use of alternative health treatments were limited to whether the respondent had used any of a variety of such treatments, including spiritual healing/prayer, in the past year. By contrast, the 2002 and 2007 surveys greatly expanded the scope of inquiry regarding alternative health treatments. For the full list of alternative health treatments covered in the NHIS, and for general background information about the 2002 and 2007 Alternative Health supplements, see ACUYR.

Although PRASPIRITYR is only available for 1999, the 2002 and 2007 surveys include many other variables related to the use of prayer for healing. These variables cover whether respondents had ever prayed for their own health, whether they had asked others to pray for their health, whether they had participated in a prayer group, and whether they had ever used a healing ritual or sacrament for their own health (see PRARITYR).

Comparability

PRASPIRITYR is only available for 1999.

Universe

Availability

• 1999

Weights

• 1999 : SAMPWEIGHT