Are prayer-based interventions effective pain management options? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Margarida Jarego; Alexandra Ferreira-Valente; Inês Queiroz-Garcia; Melissa A. Day; José Pais-Ribeiro; Rui M. Costa; Filipa Pimenta; Mark P. Jensen

doi:10.1007/s10943-022-01709-z

Are prayer-based interventions effective pain management options? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Margarida Jarego, Alexandra Ferreira-Valente^*, Inês Queiroz-Garcia, Melissa A. Day, José Pais-Ribeiro, Rui M. Costa, Filipa Pimenta, Mark P. Jensen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This review examined the effects of private and communal participatory prayer on pain. Nine databases were searched. Six randomized controlled trials were included. For private prayer, medium to large effects emerged for 67% to 69% of between-group comparisons; participants in the prayer condition reported lower pain intensity (0.59 < d < 26.17; 4 studies) and higher pain tolerance (0.70 < d < 1.05; 1 study). Pre- to post-intervention comparisons yielded medium to large effects (0.76 < d < 1.67; 2 studies); pain intensity decreased. Although firm conclusions cannot be made because meta-analysis was based on only two studies, the analysis suggested prayer might reduce pain intensity (SMD = − 2.63, 95% CI [− 3.11, − 2.14], I = 0%). (PROSPERO: CRD42020221733).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1780-1809
Number of pages	30
Journal	Journal of Religion and Health
Volume	62
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-022-01709-z
Publication status	Published - Jun 2023

Keywords

Meta-analysis
Pain
Pain outcomes
Prayer-based intervention
Systematic review

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10.1007/s10943-022-01709-z

Cite this

@article{48ee1b32337c4bc5ae5185cd4837e38b,

title = "Are prayer-based interventions effective pain management options? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials",

abstract = "This review examined the effects of private and communal participatory prayer on pain. Nine databases were searched. Six randomized controlled trials were included. For private prayer, medium to large effects emerged for 67% to 69% of between-group comparisons; participants in the prayer condition reported lower pain intensity (0.59 < d < 26.17; 4 studies) and higher pain tolerance (0.70 < d < 1.05; 1 study). Pre- to post-intervention comparisons yielded medium to large effects (0.76 < d < 1.67; 2 studies); pain intensity decreased. Although firm conclusions cannot be made because meta-analysis was based on only two studies, the analysis suggested prayer might reduce pain intensity (SMD = − 2.63, 95% CI [− 3.11, − 2.14], I = 0%). (PROSPERO: CRD42020221733).",

keywords = "Meta-analysis, Pain, Pain outcomes, Prayer-based intervention, Systematic review",

author = "Margarida Jarego and Alexandra Ferreira-Valente and In{\^e}s Queiroz-Garcia and Day, {Melissa A.} and Jos{\'e} Pais-Ribeiro and Costa, {Rui M.} and Filipa Pimenta and Jensen, {Mark P.}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by a Foundation BIAL Grant for Scientific Research [Grant Number 188/18]; AFV was supported by a Funda{\c c}{\~a}o para a Ci{\^e}ncia e Tecnologia, IP (FCT) Post-doctoral grant [Grant Number SFRH/BPD/121452/2016], and is supported by a FCT Scientific Employment Stimulus contract under the 2021 Institutional Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus - 2nd Edition [reference CEECINST/00070/2021; internal reference, Edict/Public notification number Edital/0030/2022]. Funding Information: AFV has received a Grant from Funda{\c c}{\~a}o para a Ci{\^e}ncia e Tecnologia, IP (FCT) (grant number SFRH/BPD/121452/2016), and is supported by a FCT Scientific Employment Stimulus contract under the 2021 Institutional Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus - 2nd Edition (reference CEECINST/00070/2021; internal reference, Edict/Public notification number Edital/0030/2022). The remaining authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to declare associated with this manuscript. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.",

year = "2023",

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AU - Jarego, Margarida

AU - Ferreira-Valente, Alexandra

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AU - Day, Melissa A.

AU - Pais-Ribeiro, José

AU - Costa, Rui M.

AU - Pimenta, Filipa

AU - Jensen, Mark P.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by a Foundation BIAL Grant for Scientific Research [Grant Number 188/18]; AFV was supported by a Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, IP (FCT) Post-doctoral grant [Grant Number SFRH/BPD/121452/2016], and is supported by a FCT Scientific Employment Stimulus contract under the 2021 Institutional Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus - 2nd Edition [reference CEECINST/00070/2021; internal reference, Edict/Public notification number Edital/0030/2022]. Funding Information: AFV has received a Grant from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, IP (FCT) (grant number SFRH/BPD/121452/2016), and is supported by a FCT Scientific Employment Stimulus contract under the 2021 Institutional Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus - 2nd Edition (reference CEECINST/00070/2021; internal reference, Edict/Public notification number Edital/0030/2022). The remaining authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to declare associated with this manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

PY - 2023/6

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N2 - This review examined the effects of private and communal participatory prayer on pain. Nine databases were searched. Six randomized controlled trials were included. For private prayer, medium to large effects emerged for 67% to 69% of between-group comparisons; participants in the prayer condition reported lower pain intensity (0.59 < d < 26.17; 4 studies) and higher pain tolerance (0.70 < d < 1.05; 1 study). Pre- to post-intervention comparisons yielded medium to large effects (0.76 < d < 1.67; 2 studies); pain intensity decreased. Although firm conclusions cannot be made because meta-analysis was based on only two studies, the analysis suggested prayer might reduce pain intensity (SMD = − 2.63, 95% CI [− 3.11, − 2.14], I = 0%). (PROSPERO: CRD42020221733).

AB - This review examined the effects of private and communal participatory prayer on pain. Nine databases were searched. Six randomized controlled trials were included. For private prayer, medium to large effects emerged for 67% to 69% of between-group comparisons; participants in the prayer condition reported lower pain intensity (0.59 < d < 26.17; 4 studies) and higher pain tolerance (0.70 < d < 1.05; 1 study). Pre- to post-intervention comparisons yielded medium to large effects (0.76 < d < 1.67; 2 studies); pain intensity decreased. Although firm conclusions cannot be made because meta-analysis was based on only two studies, the analysis suggested prayer might reduce pain intensity (SMD = − 2.63, 95% CI [− 3.11, − 2.14], I = 0%). (PROSPERO: CRD42020221733).

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KW - Pain outcomes

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KW - Systematic review

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ER -

Are prayer-based interventions effective pain management options? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Keywords

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CEDH: Research Centre for Human Development

CEECINST21 - CEDH: Psicologia da Saúde

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Are prayer-based interventions effective pain management options? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Keywords

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Projects

CEDH: Research Centre for Human Development

CEECINST21 - CEDH: Psicologia da Saúde

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