In a recent multicenter survey of 476 physicians' attitudes toward spirituality
in clinical practice, 85% said physicians should be aware of a patient's religious
and spiritual beliefs.1 This finding was
consistent with a 1992 survey of 594 family physicians, of whom 93% agreed
or strongly agreed that physicians should consider patients' spiritual needs.2 However, only 31% and 39% of physicians believed
that physicians should ask patients about their spiritual beliefs in outpatient
and inpatient settings, respectively.1 It
has been reported, however, that fewer than 10% of physicians actually do
so,3 even among dying patients.4