The vast majority of Americans turn to prayer to heal themselves and others when afflicted with health problems, a recent study found, according to CNN.
About nine out of 10 people have relied on healing prayer at some point in their lifetimes, and most of them have prayed for other people's health and well-being more than their own, according to the report.
Jeff Levin, PhD, a professor of epidemiology and population health at Waco, Texas-based Baylor University and the lead author of the study, said the study findings suggest prayer may be one of the most widely used forms of treatment among Americans, rather than just a "fringe activity," as many people perceive it to be. However, most people who use prayer for healing do so in combination with traditional medical care, not instead of it, the study notes.
"Outside of belief in God, healing prayer might be the most ubiquitous religious practice that there is," Levin said. "This might be one of the most prevalent forms of primary care medicine, and I don't say that lightly."
According to Dr. Levin, nearly 80 percent of Americans have prayed for their own healing, with roughly a third saying they do so frequently. Almost 90 percent said they have prayed for the healing of others, with more than 50 percent saying they do so frequently. More than half of respondents said they have participated in prayer groups aimed at helping themselves or others heal from medical problems. A quarter of respondents even indicated having practiced "laying on hands," in which a person places their hands on someone else to pass on spiritual blessings, according to the report.
"The numbers are considerably higher than I would have imagined, and it's fascinating to me," said Dr. Levin, according to the report. "There's this hidden substrate of spirituality in this country, and by asking these questions, it uncovered something always there that was bubbling beneath the surface. This is not a marginal or minor expression. This is pretty ubiquitous."
However, Dr. Levin's study did not measure whether or not praying actually affects healing. Additional research is needed to analyze how prayer relates to outcomes and diagnoses among religious and nonreligious groups, according to the report.