Individual healee reports of their experiences with healing are often so glowing that they stretch one's credulity.

Surveys of healee satisfaction that follow a standard format, with clear criteria for assessing whether and to what degree any changes occurred, can provide more reliable data. Helpful items to cover in a survey include:

symptoms

diagnosis (if possible)

previous conventional treatments

concurrent treatments

stresses - psychological, relational, social, or other conditions around the time of the healing that could have contributed to the observed changes

time following spiritual healing when improvements occurred

objective, measurable changesc

clear criteria for grading improvements (especially subjective symptoms)

laboratory tests confirm the reported changes

statistical analyses of the results

Survey instruments and references for patient outcomes

An excellent questionnaire for physical and mental health is the SF-36, described in the following references.

Farr, Charles H. et al, Patient outcomes to alternative medicine therapies as measured by the SF-36 - preliminary report, Townsend Letter 1999, 186, 24-25.

Fowler, F. J. Survey Research Methods (3nd ed.), Newbury Park, CA: Sage 1993.

Medical Outcomes Trust, 20 Park Plaza, suite 1014, Boston, MA 02116-4313, promoting measuring tools that include patients and health caregivers.

Ware, J.E. et al, SF-36 Health Survey Manual and Interpretation Guide, Boston, MA: New England medical Center, The Health Institute, 1993.