Paper
Wednesday, 19 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Alternative Health Practices
Faith Healing: Perceptions and Experiences within an Amish Community
Marita Dawn Bauman, BS, Indiana Wesleyan University (undergraduate institution), Goshen, IN, USA
Learning Objective #1: Describe the Amish practice of faith healing and list two reasons why it continues to be practiced today.
Learning Objective #2: List two ways in which nurses can become more sensitive to the healthcare needs of the Amish community as they relate to faith healing.
         The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic study was to examine the perceptions and experiences surrounding the practice of faith healing within an Amish community. The theoretical framework for the study was Leininger’s Theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality. The impetus driving the study was the desire to gain knowledge concerning the Amish practice of faith healing in order to educate healthcare professionals who care for Amish individuals. Study participants consisted of two key informants who were active practitioners of faith healing, and six additional Amish individuals who currently utilize the services of faith healers on a regular basis. The study posed and answered three main research questions:

1.      What common beliefs surround faith healing?

2.      Why is faith healing observed today?

3.      How is faith healing practiced today?

         Thematic analysis was used to interpret data collected via personal interviews with informants. The five themes that emerged focused on the practice of faith healing as a vital aspect within the Amish way of life; faith healing being perceived as a gift from God bestowed upon a chosen few; faith healing rituals being practiced differently among individual practitioners; and the ability to heal being manifested differently among practitioners. The fifth theme focused on the informants’ suspicion and distrust of the modern healthcare system. Further research surrounding this distrust is warranted and could aid in bridging the gap between the Amish and healthcare communities.

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