Why gerontologists should care about empirical research on religion and health: transdisciplinary perspectives.

A large volume of empirical research has accumulated on the relationship between religion/spirituality (R/S) and health since the year 2000, much of it involving older adults. The purpose of this article is to discuss how this body of existing research findings has important messages or important new insights for gerontologists; clinicians in medicine, psychiatry, and psychology; sociologists; and theologians. In other words, what contributions do the research findings on R/S and health make to these disciplines? In this article, experts from each of the aforementioned disciplines discuss what contributions this research can make to their own area of study and expertise.

Is parental report of upper respiratory infection at the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder suggestive of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection?

The diagnosis of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) requires a prospectively determined association between group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) infection and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or tic disorder. Screening for GABHS infection imposes a significant burden on both patient and clinician. To heighten the index of suspicion for PANDAS, it would be useful to know if parent-reported upper respiratory infection (URI) is associated with PANDAS symptoms or associated characteristics.