Finding Spirits in Spirituality: What are We Measuring in Spirituality and Health Research?

What are we asking when we ask about spirituality? When research subjects check survey boxes for "religiosity" and "spirituality" measures on health surveys, those of us who use them often assume that these responses indicate a relationship with-or reaction against-normative, conventional, Protestant-shaped religious practice and experience. We present a qualitative interview study of 13 low-income mothers with a history of depression, analyzing their descriptions of spiritual and religious coping practices. On the basis of a focused analysis of four mother's narratives, we argue that conventional survey answers may frequently hide more than they reveal about people's cultural, religious, and idiosyncratic experiences with ghosts, spirits, magic, and haunting presences that are relevant, sometimes integral, to illness and healing.

The effects of intermittent electrical stimulation on the prevention of deep tissue injury: varying loads and stimulation paradigms.

A pressure ulcer is a medical complication that arises in persons with decreased mobility and/or sensation. Deep pressure ulcers starting at the bone-muscle interface are the most dangerous, as they can cause extensive damage before showing any signs at the skin surface. We previously proposed a novel intervention called intermittent electrical stimulation (IES) for the prevention of deep tissue injury (DTI).

Effects of intermittent electrical stimulation on superficial pressure, tissue oxygenation, and discomfort levels for the prevention of deep tissue injury.

The overall goal of this project is to develop effective methods for the prevention of deep tissue injury (DTI). DTI is a severe type of pressure ulcer that originates at deep bone-muscle interfaces as a result of the prolonged compression of tissue. It afflicts individuals with reduced mobility and sensation, particularly those with spinal cord injury.

Intermittent electrical stimulation redistributes pressure and promotes tissue oxygenation in loaded muscles of individuals with spinal cord injury.

Deep tissue injury (DTI) is a severe form of pressure ulcer that originates at the bone-muscle interface. It results from mechanical damage and ischemic injury due to unrelieved pressure. Currently, there are no established clinical methods to detect the formation of DTI.