Final answer:
Religiously active AIDS patients are prompted by their faith and community support to survive longer compared to nonreligious individuals. This is due to better coping mechanisms, hope from spiritual beliefs, and a healthier, less depressed outlook supported by their internal locus of control.
Step-by-step explanation:
A local religious organization has taken an interest in reaching out to community members with AIDS. They were prompted to do this when they learned that religiously active AIDS patients seem to survive longer than do their nonreligious counterparts. This observation is supported by research which indicates that people with religious or spiritual beliefs are better able to cope with illness and the prospect of death. They often benefit from the hope provided by their faith, particularly the belief in an afterlife, and from the social support provided by their religious communities. Additionally, individuals with an internal locus of control, which may be strengthened by spiritual practices, are known to be healthier, better able to cope, and less depressed compared to those with an external locus of control.