The George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish)

The National Institutes of Health recently awarded The George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish) nearly $566,000 as part of a two-city, $1.5 million study on the impact of spirituality on the will to live in HIV/AIDS patients. Recent studies have shown that many patients with HIV/AIDS have a powerful will to live; some report a sense that life has actually improved since learning they were infected. The NIH research will build on these studies by using more detailed measures and including a wider universe of patients. Insights gained from this study will help improve the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS. GWish's work investigates how spirituality might affect one's quality of life. As a result, this study may help GWISH to deliver more effective and compassionate care to patients diagnosed with chronic illness. Research for this four-year project will be conducted at the GWUMC and at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. In all, as many as 350 patients with various stages of HIV/AIDS will be interviewed.