Religious Characteristics of Physicians Who Care for Underserved Populations or Work in Religiously Oriented Practices.

Objectives: This study examined the relation between physicians' religious characteristics and working for medically underserved populations or in religiously oriented practices.

Methods: Secondary data analysis of 2009-2010 national survey of 896 primary care physicians (PCPs) and 312 psychiatrists. Predictors included physicians' religious characteristics.

Results: Adjusted response rates among eligible physicians were 63% (896 of 1427) for PCPs and 64% (312 of 487) for psychiatrists. Overall, 41.3% of US PCPs and 53.2% of US psychiatrists reported working with medically underserved populations. A smaller percentage reported working in religiously oriented practices. Physicians who rated religion as most important in their lives were more likely to report working for medically underserved populations (52.5% most important vs 36.7% not important, = 0.02) or report working in religiously oriented practices (23.9% most important vs 6.8% not important, < 0.01).

Conclusions: Religious physicians may be serving in medically underserved areas or religiously oriented practices as a way to integrate their professional and personal identities.