Noncommunicable diseases and social determinants of health in Buddhist monks: An integrative review

The prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is increasing worldwide. Buddhist monks in Thailand play a critical role in health as community leaders accounting for 0.3% of the population. However, some monks require treatment and hospitalization to alleviate the burden of NCDs due to religious beliefs and practices during ordainment. Risk factors for NCDs among Buddhist monks, and the relationship to social determinants of health (SDH) remain unclear. This integrative review examined the prevalence of NCDs and explored the relationship between SDH and health outcomes among Buddhist monks. Cohort, descriptive, and correlational studies published in both English and Thai languages were identified from the PubMed, Science Direct, CINAHL, and Thai journal databases. Keywords included Thai Buddhist monks, non-communicable diseases, and prevalence. Twenty-two studies were selected. Obesity and hypertension were the most prevalent NCDs. Religious beliefs and practices influence SDH domains and play an important role in the lifestyle and health behaviors among Buddhist monks. Further understanding of the impact of the religious lifestyle is needed, particularly given the role and influence of monks in society.

Automated summary

This integrative review examined the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among Buddhist monks in Thailand and explored the relationship between social determinants of health (SDH) and health outcomes. The results showed that obesity and hypertension were the most prevalent NCDs among Buddhist monks. Religious beliefs and practices played an important role in their lifestyle and health behaviors.