Abstract

The aim of this contribution is, on one hand, to outline the complex landscape of studies focused on the role of religion and spirituality in the context of health professionals, and on the other hand, to analyze these interactions based on quantitative data regarding religious practices and ethical positions on controversial topics such as voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTP), euthanasia, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) among doctors, other health professionals, and the rest of the population in various national contexts. Through a quantitative analysis of data from several international surveys, the frequency of religious practices among doctors and other health professionals was analyzed, comparing it with the rest of the population. The results show that doctors, while being less religious than the general population, are more likely to justify practices such as VTP and IVF. However, when considering the context of the healthcare system, these differences tend to disappear. An unexpected result of the study is the significant difference between doctors and other healthcare workers. Generally, the former are both less religious and more open to the aforementioned healthcare practices compared to the latter. In conclusion, the study highlights the complexity of the relationship between religiosity and clinical practice, suggesting the need for further research to better understand the decision-making dynamics of health professionals.