“Don’t stop believing!” From health religiosity to an equality-enhancing hermeneutic of health promotion

• Purpose: Health beliefs are usually regarded as subjective understandings of one’s health. They can, however, be re-interpreted by drawing on the understanding that the structural features of the health discourse resemble the characteristics of a religion and on the spiritual dimension of health with its possibly salutogenic influence. The applicability of the notion of“health religiosity” and its consequences for individual health promotion are explored.Method: Data consist of already existent semi-structured interviews. These have been reana- lyzed in a deductive-hermeneutical way by using a five-dimensional concept of religiosity as deductive template.Results: The concept of religiosity proved to be productive and revealed that all health dimensions in the case are infused with spiritually ennobled ideas.Conclusion: We conclude that, irrespective of their factual accuracy, the salutogenic potential of ennobled ideas may best be utilized by understanding them hermeneutically. An explora- tion of a narrative hermeneutic approach to individual health promotion is suggested as the merging of meaning horizons in a hermeneutic dialogue is expected to increase awareness of spiritualized aspects of health beliefs. This may mitigate healthism and health disparities. Moreover, three challenges for individual health promotion are anticipated: realizing the situation, recognizing its complexity and resisting a simplistic practical approach. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Filosofi, etik och religion (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Philosophy, Ethics and Religion (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Health beliefs

health promotion

hermeneutics

religiosity

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)