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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Karen Verni Moosvi, MSN, RN, CNS, School of Nursing, Christ Hospital, 176 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-795-8360, akshm@aol.com
The experience of loneliness is a universal public health issue. Loneliness in all cultures is characterized by pain, sadness, and a perception of the absence of belonging. It is a problem in and of itself and because of its affect on other health factors. Research, for example, has linked it to heart disease and slower recovery rates. Like a blood pressure, loneliness dynamically interrelates with behavior. Both Eastern and Western religions recognize the importance of loneliness. As a result, each offers beliefs, rituals or practices to alleviate it. This is not true of Western medicine that has, to a great degree, ignored the overall health significance of loneliness. This paper proposes a spirituality-based informatics model of loneliness and possible interventions. At the core of the model is the notion that human beings are social creatures in need of meaningful social contact/relationships with each other on both the physical and spiritual planes. The model differentiates between solitude (which has a spiritual base and can bring contentment) and loneliness (which seeks relief). A loneliness/solitude ratio is outlined as a health indicator equal in importance to other indicators (e.g., blood pressure). Individuals can be taught to calculate their own ratio and to alter social contact/connections when they experience "high loneliness." New meaningful networks using spirituality-based informatics can be integrated into existing community and hospital delivery systems. Such interventions can reduce loneliness and provide a therapeutic context for those whose natural networks have disintegrated.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) will be able to
Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, Mental Health Care
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.