Abstract
The Influence of Faith on Medical Decision-Making Processes Among Foreign-Born Older Latinos: A Longitudinal Exploration
APHA 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo
Objective: Faith in God can be an essential component of patients' medical decision-making. Many patients use faith in God to inform their treatment options. This study explored how foreign-born Latinos used faith in medical decision-making. Methods: Thirteen older adult Latinos with comorbidities from nine Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Centers in Southern California were recruited. Researchers conducted three in-depth interviews in Spanish with each patient over 13 months (N=39 interviews). The first interviews were conducted face-to-face and lasted one hour on average. Subsequent interviews were conducted over the phone (Range: 60-90 minutes). Data were analyzed using codes, identifying categories, and themes. Results: All patients believed in an all-powerful and mighty God who controlled all aspects of life and death. Most patients used faith as a coping mechanism manifested through prayers. Faith helped patients associate meaning with life events, behaviors, and experiences— legitimizing doctors’ actions as part of God’s plan and serving as the “hands of God. Like medicine, faith provided hope and was directly opposed to accepting or rejecting medical care treatments, except for secular counseling for clinical depression. Depression was perceived to be caused by the accumulation of social and life stressors. Although faith indirectly influenced decision-making, crisis-based decision-making, and contemplation magnified faith. Conclusion: The longitudinal and specialized geriatric program design illuminated the medical decision-making processes, and the role faith plays. Findings contribute to practice-based conversations involving faith, especially as we seek to increase patient-centered care and patient involvement in medical decision-making processes.