1. The Role of Religion and Spirituality to Cope with COVID-19 Infections Among People of Lower Socioeconomic Status in Pakistan: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.
- Author
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Safdar, Muhammad Rizwan, Akram, Muhammad, Ahmad, Akhlaq, and Ayaz, Adeela Arshad
- Subjects
RESEARCH ,PRAYER ,GRIEF ,SPIRITUALITY ,COVID-19 ,HERBAL medicine ,QUACKS & quackery ,CONVALESCENCE ,RESEARCH methodology ,INTERVIEWING ,MEDICAL care ,SOCIOECONOMIC status ,QUALITATIVE research ,SELF medication ,SOCIAL classes ,SOUND recordings ,HOSPITAL care ,PSYCHOLOGY & religion ,PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation ,JUDGMENT sampling ,THEMATIC analysis ,DATA analysis software - Abstract
Religion and spirituality have been key coping mechanisms of Pakistani Muslims amidst natural calamities such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify and explore the role of religion and spirituality in the recovery of COVID-19 patients in lower socioeconomics. The data for this qualitative research study were collected from 13 people in Pakistan who survived COVID-19 infection during the wave of the Omicron variant. The participants of this study referenced four key themes about their story of getting infected by COVID-19 and recovering from it and referenced religion and spirituality as an overarching aspect of that story. The patients who recovered believed that COVID-19 was a punishment from God for sinful humanity, which was unavoidable. Amidst such a belief, the studied patients tried to avoid hospitalization but prayed to God for mercy, forgiveness, and help in their recovery. A few who took medical treatment also established and/or strengthened their spiritual connections seeking quick recovery from the infection. The participants of this study believed that their religion or spirituality played a medicinal role in their recovery from COVID-19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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