Religious attitudes toward prescriptions, medicines, and doctors in France.

Although the social sciences have studied the influence of social environment on individual behaviors regarding medication, very little research has been done on the variations that exist between patients in equivalent social contexts but with diverse religious backgrounds. This article presents the results of research on the correlation between patients' religious-cultural background (Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or Muslim) and their behaviors regarding medication. It shows that the cultural origin as well as the collective history of the groups to which patients belong impacts their attitudes toward prescriptions, medicines, their own bodies, and doctors.