The Impact of Faith Healing Churches on Health and Well-being

This study which lies within the ARHAP ongoing research on the interface between religion and public health examined the impact of Faith-healing Pentecostal Churches on health and well-being among health-seekers in Ndola Zambia. The study involved a self-administered questionnaire answered by 100 Faith-Healing Pentecostal Church worshippers in Ndola over a period of 4 weeks. Based on the data analysis and interpretation it was found that these churches have grown rapidly in Zambia and that many people are turning to them for their healing and well-being. There are several factors that are contributing to the rapid growth of Faith-Healing Pentecostal Churches and these range from socio-economic problems to the impact of diseases like HIV/AIDS malaria and tuberculosis on households due to the poor health provision in most government health centres in Ndola. It was evident from the research that Faith-Healing Pentecostal Churches are addressing huge socio-economic needs in people’s lives within a context of poverty unemployment and the burden of sicknesses and diseases and can rightly be understood as a Religious Health Assets.