Mdedge Psychcast

Michael A. Norko, MD, professor of psychiatry at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., spoke with Lorenzo Norris, MD, MDedge Psychiatry editor in chief, about incorporating patients’ spiritual and religious histories into psychiatric evaluations. Dr. Norko, lead author of a paper exploring whether religion is protective against suicide, sat down with Dr. Norris at the 2019 fall meeting of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, or GAP.   Evidence, questions to consider about religion and spirituality Various spiritual and religious factors are linked to decreased rates of suicide behaviors and attempts, including weekly attendance to worship services, personal beliefs about the preciousness of life, and commitment to a faith practice. Which specific parts of religious and spirituality are protective? Are the protective factors the social connection or the spiritual connection alone? Those who attend worship services weekly are at lower risk of suicide. It’s unclear whether weekly attendance is a proxy fo